Follow Her, Protect Her
by Spawner
Summary: Ruby and Belle's son travels back in time to protect the one person he cares about most, and make an appearance to parents who aren't sure how he exists! Includes the mention of characters from The Last Resort by Alaska829Snow! Rated T in case I swear and forget about it. Angsty RedBeauty
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- Hey guys! So this amazing author, Alaska829Snow author of The Last Resort has allowed me to use her main character Charlotte as part of this story! You pretty much have to read TLR to understand exactly what's going on. In TLR, Regina and Emma's daughters are from the future, and they somehow make their way to the past. This is the RedBeauty version. Also, it has its own separate storyline where the son of Ruby and Belle travel back in time to cause some havoc. With cameos by Regina and Emma, so I'm adding them in the character list. I hope you enjoy this as much as I like writing it. All mistakes are mine! Please R&R, and don't forget to check out The Last Resort!**

_Stop. Take a step. 1, 2, 3. _

_Breathe._

Something so simplistic and so natural was extremely difficult to process at the moment as the boy stood there, frozen in time.

His inherited blue eyes bore into dark irises of someone who had meant the world to him since they were practically children. His heart stopped, and his brain was unable to comprehend what his mouth wanted to say.

Palms were suddenly sweaty as he urgently pulled them behind his back, clearing his throat softly.

And finally, when he was able to voice exactly what he wanted to say, it came out in a simple syllable; shaky and whispered.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey Lucas, what's up?"

He didn't even seem to hear the sentence.

All that processed through his brain was her smile. The way the corners of her lips slightly spread when she saw him. The way she held her books close to her chest in that cute manner (something he'd never admit out loud).

They had been friends for so long he wondered when he had started falling for her. For sixteen years of his life their parents had them visiting each other since they were first born.

It was practically inevitable.

"I uh...I wanted to uh...ask you something if that's ok?"

As if her smile couldn't stretch any wider, it did, and it only made Lucas' stutter more prominent, his gaze quickly throwing itself towards the floor.

"I was wondering if uh...If you wanted to go to the dance with me?"

When his eyes shot back up from the floor, his fear evident in his face, he was quick to feel arms wrap around him for a tight hug.

"Of course I'll go with you! I mean...Yeah, that sounds cool."

When he watched her turn away, probably to walk towards her last class, his fist pumped in the air and he practically jumped, ecstatic the rest of the day.

* * *

Storybrooke High wasn't that far from his house, so walking wasn't ever a problem.

This time, however, he had arrived home in record time, dashing through the alleyways and streets in order to tell his mother what had happened that day.

He had taken her advice, and had all the while thought that it might fail, that the girl he had fallen for would reject him for someone else.

"Mom!" Dropping his bag onto the floor, he peeked into every room in the house, but frowned when his mother was nowhere to be found.

It was not that long after that he had found someone sleeping in bed, their arms draped around air as the partner they shared it with was long gone for the day.

But as he was going to leave, to close the door, the inhabitant supposedly sleeping quickly sat up, yawning.

Long dark brown hair was pushed out of green eyes, limbs cracking as she stretched her arms in the air. Ruby Lucas-now French, was finally relaxing from her day off.

Being the owner and proprietor of a diner that housed many guests each day had started to get tiring. She wondered how in the world Granny managed to keep up all those years ago. And for a slight moment in time, her face scrunched in sadness at the memory of the only family she had truly known. The elder woman had passed away after Lucas was only a year old, straining her lifeline to see her great-grandchild be brought into the world.

"Ma, where's Mom?" The boy asked, trying to refrain from laughing at her disheveled form.

"At work. You know your mother can't separate herself from that Library. Even during my day off," she chuckled, knowing how important books were to her wife. Sometimes she even housed the feeling that they were more important than spending a day in, playing hooky.

Things, however, did manage to become busier at the Library now that they added computers and had extended the building for an Adult Education center.

"Anyways, what in blazes has you all riled up today, boy?"

Standing up to place a hand on her son's shoulder, Ruby had barely seen the kid this excited before. Especially over school.

"Make the honor roll or something? I swear you'd probably be the first on this side of your family tree," she grinned, but it softly faded when she saw the shaking of Lucas' head.

"Actually, Ma, I asked a girl to the dance today."

"Really now? Is she pretty? Please tell me you've made mom proud. I've met her before, haven't I?" She grabbed the glass of water from her nightstand, listening intently as she raised the cup to her lips.

"Well...Yes. It's um...It's Charlotte."

Ruby quickly spit out the water that she had started to drink, erupting into a coughing fit.

"Woah! Ma, calm down!"

"Charlotte?! As in, Charlotte Swan-Mills? As in the girl who has Regina Mills as her mother?! You asked _that_ Charlotte to the dance? What the hell were you thinking? She could blast you into a billion pieces with her magic! Not to mention her mother would probably kill you when you came to pick her up for the dance! I mean, yeah Emma and I are friends, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind having you arrested if anything went wrong! I'm sure you could take Henry, he's a softie, but c'mon Lucas! Charlotte Swan-_Mills_?!"

"Well...yeah. I mean...We've been friends since we were kids, and I really like her and..." He stopped as he heard the front door close, a groan falling to his lips as he realized the exact direction this conversation was going to go.

"Hey there, how's my Wolf Clan doing today?" Belle placed a kiss upon Lucas' and Ruby's cheek, having to stand on her toes to accomplish the task for both of them. They were taller than her, and Lucas was still a growing boy.

"Belle...why must you insist on calling us that?" Ruby had a glint in her eye, a soft playful frown upon her lips.

"Because it's cute. Now why were you yelling? I swear I don't have wolf hearing but I could tell it was you from a mile away."

"Our son has something he wants to tell you."

Embarrassed by being put on the spot, Lucas sheepishly stared at the ground for a moment.

When he raised his head, a smile formed on his face, his deep blue eyes gazing into his mother's matching pair. "She said yes."

Belle quickly wrapped her arms around her son, a squeal escaping her lips so loudly it made both children of the Moon flinch.

"I am so proud of you! You're going to have a great time! And I can take lots of pictures, and your mother will give you dating tips, and-"

"And, no."

"What? Ruby what the hell are you talking about?"

"No. As in, it's Charlotte Swan-_Mills_. The girl whose mother could turn our son into stone, the girl who..."

"Who as I recall always wanted to come over to play with our son when they were little. C'mon Ruby. It's the same Charlotte. She's not a little girl anymore. She's fifteen. And Lucas is sixteen. You'll have a great time..."

But when Belle turned around, her son wasn't standing beside them anymore.

"See what you did, Ruby? You're always too hard on him! You're like Emma sometimes, I swear it! All he wanted was our approval in asking the girl to the dance! They're not going to get married! Why are you so content with denying him the things he wants to do?! Every time that boy tries to do something on his own, you stop him! You should be encouraging him! He wanted to play football, and you deliberately put your foot down on that one. Well why not? The kid runs faster than the whole damn team! You're so scared of losing him that you deny him the chance to grow up on his own! Why are you so afraid of losing your son, Ruby?"

The werewolf didn't want to have an argument with her wife, but it seemed unavoidable at the moment.

"Because you two are all I have left! Granny died, and ever since then it was a battle to see where the hell you'd end up next! You stayed with me, and I'm happy for that, but then you let Rumplestilskin back into our lives! You became friends with him again, and then there were nights I didn't see you, and what the hell was I supposed to think, Belle? You picked me. You picked me and I am so grateful for that. I am so happy that you stayed, that Lucas is our son. But if I lost him...If I lost you again...I couldn't even begin to think what would happen. I want him to succeed. I want him to excel...But I can't let go of that fear, because he's my son. He's part of me. He shares my blood, just as he shares yours."

A pause.

"Belle..."

The shorter woman pushed her wife's hands away, tears evident in her eyes as she refused to say anything.

When she finally opened her mouth to speak, it was eerily calm, but Ruby could tell there was a powerful anger behind it.

"Since you don't trust me just being friends with someone, I could leave him for good, if that would make your overly jealous side happy? Mind you that he has no one. That his own son won't even talk to him, nor acknowledge him. But I'm sure pretty soon you're about to realize what that's like. Don't worry. It won't hurt as badly as you think. You're stubborn, so it will take a while for you to realize what you're about to lose. As for Charlotte? She's an amazing young woman and I have seen how happy she makes Lucas. I have also seen how happy Lucas seems to make her. And to be perfectly honest, I don't have a problem with Regina. Lock me away for 28 more years, I still wouldn't have a problem with Regina because I know she wouldn't be the one to do it. She's changed. But you apparently have yet to even notice that. Snow noticed it. Hell even Charming did, which is a shocker. But you can't let go of it. And until you do, my love, you will just be another Rumplestilskin."

And with those words, Belle walked up the stairs, towards an angrily closed door to console her son.

* * *

When Ruby slowly opened the door to her son's bedroom, she peeked her head in to see him sitting on his bed, Belle's hand rubbing his back with encouragement.

To say she felt like shit was an understatement.

For years the werewolf was unable to trust anyone, including Belle.

But when she let her walls down and opened her heart, the Librarian continued to show a swaying interest towards her ex-True Love.

There was a sense of abandonment, of true disdain knowing that the woman she loved more than anyone in the world, the person she had declared her mate, would rather be with scum.

And so, her jealous side started to show the more Belle would become closer with the imp. This put a strain on their relationship. And when Lucas was born, he had only managed to make things better, for Rumplestilskin to stay away. But as the boy started becoming older, the man started getting closer again, looming like a dangerous shark.

"I don't want to talk to you," her son muttered from across the room as the door was pushed open.

"Ok, ok. Don't talk. Just listen. Lucas, you're my son. I love you, and nothing will change that. And to be honest? What I said about Charlotte and her mother? I was wrong to say things like that. Regina has changed. But..."

she sighed deeply,

"...I wish you were close to me like Charlotte is with her mother. I envy it so much that you're not attached at the hip. I know you want to go into the world and experience life for yourself. I want you to succeed and excel in life. But I fear what could happen. And if I ever lost you? I could never live with myself. So maybe I'm a little overprotective..." with that came a chuckle. "Ok, extremely overprotective. But it's only because I love you."

"I love you too Ma. But you have to trust me. I know what I'm doing. Mom gets it. She understands. Hell, she even helped me to gather the courage to ask Charlotte to the dance! And I did, and she said yes! You should be happy for me. I feel like I scored the winning touchdown on the football team. If I were on the team..."

Ruby playfully glared at her son, "don't push it, boy."

"...but seriously? I'll be ok. Let me go. You always told me stories about Granny, and how she'd keep you inside to protect you when all you wanted to do was explore the world...She's probably laughing at how much you remind her of herself at that point in time."

Ruby wondered how in the world she and Belle managed to raise such an intelligent and great kid.

He was wise beyond his years, and he knew how to talk his mother down when they were in a situation like the current one.

"Ok, fine. You have my approval. Take the girl to the dance, have a great time. I'll still wait up for you though."

She laughed when a groan made its way through the air.

When she walked over to the boy who looked so much like her, her arms pulled him in for a hug as she ruffled his hair. "You better stop letting Emma feed you. You're growing quicker than I expected. You might even tower over Henry."

With that, she walked out, Belle following close behind.

"You might think this solved everything, Ruby. But it doesn't solve our problem. You're jealous. You become a madwoman when it comes to the friendship of Rumple and I. And though I like that side of you sometimes, it scares me how controlling you can be."

"Belle...When you're with him...I feel...I feel like someone has taken my heart and ripped it to shreds. I know you don't love him like you love me, that you have a family, but please...Please so that we all can move on, cut ties with him. I know he has no one. I know it's terrifying to live in this world knowing that everyone has turned their back on you, but he doesn't deserve your love. He doesn't deserve your kindness, because if he did then he would've tried to preserve the love you both had at one point. And that's what True Love does. I'm not going to give you an ultimatum on this. I want you to choose for yourself...But please know I hate him for what he's done. And I don't think he deserves this chance. If you let him go, and truly let him know that he can't use you anymore, then I feel like we'll be ok. I feel like we can move on from this, and I don't have to feel the way I feel anymore. He's practically saying that he still has ties with the woman I love. How could I ever let that go?"

Belle pressed her head to her wife's chest, listening to her heartbeat; something that always picked up speed when the Librarian was near.

"I will think about it, Ruby. I will talk to him, but I don't know where it will go. I just wish you trusted me more."

"It's not you I don't trust. It's him..."

* * *

Belle made her way out of the shop, tears leaking down her cheeks as she listened to the words her now ex-lover and friend said about her.

Degrading phrases slipped from his lips as she told him her final goodbyes, and how she was unable to take his abuse anymore.

It was enough for her to realize he would probably try to somehow enact a revenge upon her, or upon the people she loved. Ruby...Lucas...they'd both be in danger, and she couldn't let that happen.

_I will make you love me_. The way his eyes narrowed into a glare that had frozen her still, his lips pulled back into a snarl. _True Love has a way of working, my dear._

It was when she had been deep in thought that her body collided with none other than Snow White. Fear struck her at first, but when her brain coherently reminded her who she was facing, she calmed down for a moment.

"Belle, I'm really sorry, I-What's wrong, dear? You look terrible," and it was then that Belle broke down, revealing everything about Rumple to Snow, her eyes misting in between retelling, sobs escaping her lips.

"True Love...he made it seem like a potion, or something...But where could you get that from?"

She noticed as Snow's face went ghost white and she excused herself, only to run to her car and dash off to what would later be revealed as Emma and Regina's home.

Belle, on the other hand, continued on her way to her own home, hoping to be comforted by her son and wife. Though she knew it wouldn't last long. This peace; it was only a break before the shortcoming of a true tragedy.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- So I know what you're thinking! "How in the world is Chapter 2 up so quickly when you take forever to update your stories?" Simple answer! Since I work 2 jobs, I've been thinking on how I'm going to update this. And I figured it out. On my days off, I'm going to dedicate my bout of relaxation to make sure you guys have an update! So for now, I'm not going to promise one on a particular day. I'll TRY to post one a week. But if it continues to go smoothly, don't be surprised if there's more than one chapter. On another note, people. If you have time to stop by, then please take one second to post a review! They're my lifeline because I have no way of knowing if you guys truly like it, or if you truly think it sucks.**

**As always, please do a kindness and visit Alaska829Snow's story, The Last Resort. Which is the SwanQueen version of this story, as well as the original owner of the character Charlotte.**

* * *

To say it had been a difficult day at work for Ruby Lucas was an understatement.

She'd manage to slip on a smidgen of butter on the floor, skirt riding up for all the patrons to see, drop scalding hot coffee all over Sleepy's lap, and burn Grumpy's burger to a crisp (he didn't seem to mind anyway, drunken bastard).

And that was only the first half of her shift.

But the worst part of her day seemed to happen when Granny managed to embarrassingly scold her in front of customers, or when that sleazebag Gold walked in with a beautiful young woman in tow.

How? How could he manage to snag such a gorgeous beauty when Ruby couldn't even get so much as a "hello" from some of the towns eligible bachelorettes? Regina Mills was on that list for at least a split second in time, but when the waitress realized _who_ exactly she was thinking about, she shrugged it off with a laugh and a "hell no" muttered under her lips.

It was quitting time now, everything had been closed down and put away. The crescent moon hanged in the sky, reminding the woman how lucky she was to have moments like this; moments existing before the moon was full.

Trotting upstairs towards an empty bedroom, Ruby untied her apron and tossed it on the bed, groaning as she slipped out of her work shoes, feet throbbing as usual.

"I am so done. Shower, bed, done." She replied to no one in particular, glancing at herself through the mirror in her bedroom above the diner. Red streaks adorned her dark hair, accenting her features; and though she had eased up on the lipstick and clothes a tiny bit, she still retained that fun aura around her.

And then she heard it. The words that had stopped her heart completely.

"Did you always dress like this? Please tell me it's some kind of weird phase, because this is completely awkward," the somewhat deepening voice behind her had shocked her for a moment before she grabbed a bat laying by her dresser, turning to face the intruder who hadn't been sitting on her bed a second ago.

"Woah, hey, what are you doing with that?" The boy seemed to be in his mid-teens, with short, spiked dark hair containing tints of dyed red, and deep blue eyes. He looked so familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before; her heart started beating, as if it recognized the presence sitting on her bed.

"I don't know how the hell you managed to get in here, but I'm giving you the count of three to get off my bed and get out. And if you think I'm kidding, that I have a problem with beating the ever-loving shit out of you, then I suggest you talk to a few of the rowdy idiots at the diner. While you're at it, ask them how it feels to get hit in a place so hard you'll _know_ you'll never have children again."

"One." she hit the side of the bed next to him, the bat almost breaking with the first swing against the mattress.

"Two." and then the other side, the boy swearing he could hear the wood starting to crack under pressure.

Ruby raised the bat over her head, to smack him with all her might, and when the bat came down...

"Ma, wait!" she quickly stopped, dropping the bat to the floor, watching as the kid covered his mouth with his hands, muttering profanity under his breath.

"What did you call me?" She asked, shock adorning her features, eyebrow raised.

"Uh, I should go now..." but she picked up the bat again, stopping him.

"No. What the hell did you call me?" This tone was more stern, something he had been exposed to many a time in his own world.

"...I called you Ma...It's like, you know another version of Mom. Because...Well...I'm kinda your son..."

He had expected the surprising look plastered upon her face, but he had yet to expect the laughter that followed with it. Of all the things to proclaim about Ruby! This was the funniest she had ever heard.

"You...You're my kid? Ok, whoever put you up to this, they're really stupid to think I would believe something like that. And if no one put you up to this, then you have _got_ to stop raiding Granny's liquor cabinets, because she will kill you."

"Granny? Where is she? Can I meet her?" The boy's eyes widened in surprise. His mother had told him countless stories about Granny. Both from the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. From her stories came strength that the boy had always managed to carry with him, as if continuing on his great-grandmother's name.

"Now I know you're crazy. Who would get this excited over Granny? I mean, she does serve _the_ best food in town, but c'mon kid. You couldn't possibly want to meet her...Anyways, I can't keep calling you kid, now can I? I don't want to sound like Emma. So humor me, boy. What's your name?"

"My name is Lucas."

Ruby snorted, rolling her eyes. "Who in their right mind? I mean, if I was your mother, why would I name you after my own last name? Lucas Lucas? Sounds insane, doesn't it? Whoever your real mother is? She has weird tastes, kid, I'll give you that much."

But Lucas rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "My last name isn't Lucas. It's..." He paused, wondering if his parents even sought out a relationship in this time, or for that matter had even met.

"Let me guess? Whale?" Ruby smirked, playing along with his little game.

"Um, first of all, that's gross. Even for you. Dr. Whale is your good friend. The guy backed off when he realized you were with Mom..." The boy quickly slapped himself in the head again. "Ok, that you were not supposed to hear."

"With...Mom? So, let me get this straight? I'm supposed to meet some woman, fall in love with her, and have you? First of all, the laws of physics if I ever heard of them, can not apply here. And if you try to strike me with that True Love crap, I will laugh you all the way to the town line. So I'm going to ask you again, boy, and I would hope you tell me the truth, because trust me, you're really freaking me out. What is your last name?"

"French. My full name is Lucas P. French."

"What's the P. stand for?"

"...Peter. First Mom had talked about naming me Peter, but she saw how uneasy it made you, so she had a better idea. Since you had already taken her last name, just name me with yours. She did never tell me the whole story of why you were so uneasy about the name.."

"French...Peter...Wait a minute! You mean...Your Mom is..."

"Yeah, Belle French."

"What?! Ok kid, please, please give me some of whatever it is you're smoking because there is no-freakin-way I would _ever_ be in a relationship with Belle French! First of all, she has a boyfriend. A boyfriend almost a hundred years older than her mind you, but she seems happy. It's her true love."

Ruby rolled her eyes mockingly, the gesture accompanied by air quotations.

"...And second off, if, _if_ that's even remotely possible, which I still think you're as crazy as Granny when there's two-for-one specials in the Diner, how the hell could I have had a child with Belle?"

"Mrs. Swan-Mills helped. Regina did. She and Dr. Whale . You said you always wanted a boy, since Emma had a girl, we could be friends growing up. So I guess it had something to do with bringing out your True Love, and having someone else's magic as a catalyst for it. You guys are really weird when you try to explain this stuff to me."

"Regina _Swan_-Mills? What the ever-loving hell are you talking about?!"_ I guess now I can cross off Regina for the eligible bachelorette list..._"Kid, you're confusing me every second you're talking, so why don't you just tell me why you're really here, and I promise that if it was to sneak a peek at me, I won't kill you too hard. Just let you go with a little reminder never to pull this shit again, nor to lie to get your way out of trouble."

"Seriously? You're my _mother_. That's disgusting. Look...You want the story? I'll tell it to you, but I might have to dumb some things down a bit. My Mom says I must be careful what I say...And that you must have an open mind and a closed mouth for this."

Ruby didn't believe a word of what was coming out of the boy's mouth. First off, he didn't remind her of herself one bit in the brain department. This kid was all smarts and logic. Not really something Ruby thought she'd pass on to her child (if she ever had one). Though, his looks did somewhat mirror hers. The dark hair with the red specks, that wolfish grin, the facial features. But those eyes...they had to belong to..

Her thoughts soon ceased as a brilliant plan made its way to her mind. She'd humor him, then drag him off to the sheriff's station so they could throw him in the loony bin.

Of all the things she had to deal with today! This really took the cake.

"In the future, you and my Mom, Belle, are married. So are Regina and Emma. They have two daughters, Charlotte, and Amelia. They both came back here, to this time, to get away from who you call 'the imp', to find protection. I...I wanted to protect Charlotte from anyone harming her..."

The woman could tell the boy was getting a bit flustered from mentioning Emma and Regina's daughter, and she involuntarily smiled.

"...so I agreed to be sent back so I could watch over her and make sure she's safe. The only thing is...I don't know how to get back to my own time, and my parents don't really know that I'm gone...You would kill me if you found out. You're like _the_ most protective parent on the planet-"

He paused, and that's when the waitress made her move, grabbing the boy's arm.

"Ok, story time over? C'mon lets go. We're off to the Sheriff's station. You're crazy kid. I don't know who filled your head up with this bull, but its obvious that you have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Really? You're going to try to drag me to the sheriff's station like this? I'm your son, meaning I don't really take that much crap from anyone. And I'm stronger than you think I am," he smirked, but she quickly picked the bat back up.

"Since you're so content at being an asshole, I can break your kneecaps and drag you there myself."

The threat seemed crazy coming from his mother, but he knew she was serious. That and afraid.

"Wait! Just...Hear me out for a second. Mom from my time said to always use this in case I'm in trouble. I don't know if she knew this was going to happen, but...Here."

As he dropped the object into her hand, after taking it off of his neck, Ruby's eyes fell on the ring that Granny had kept with her. The ring that had once belonged to her True Love. A steel chain linked through it to enable the boy to wear it around his neck.

"How? Did you steal this?!" But the thought seemed impossible. Granny's ring was old, and the woman swore she'd never get it cleaned, to just let it age naturally. _All things must fade eventually_, she had always told Ruby; figuring the memories would be lost if the metal were ever cleansed. So when the ring seemed older than the one her grandmother actually owned, she paused.

"Why do you have this? Granny _never_ lets this thing out of her sight, so even if the crap you're spewing is true, then how in the world do you have this?" Her eyes welled with tears as Lucas stared hard at the floor, unable to tell her the truth.

"When? C'mon! If you're such a big shot, tell me! Tell me when!" She pushed him, hard, hands punching at his arm as he reached forward to hold his mother tightly. "Stop. Ma, please. Just stop," he whispered softly, watching as her body wracked with sobs.

"I can't...I can't tell you. To be honest, I don't even truly know myself...But you gave this to me to protect me...You said Granny gave this to you, that she told you to give it to me when the time was right."

Ruby leaned backwards, pushing herself away from his hold. She wiped her eyes from the tears that she had tried to force back.

"If you really are my son...If you're here to protect this girl? Then why don't you just go after her? Why are you here, visiting me?"

The boy's face became grave for a moment. "I need your help. She's in danger. From him. From Rumpelstiltskin..."

"Yeah, you said that already. That Charlotte girl and her sister, right?"

"No...I'm talking about your wife. My mother...Belle."

* * *

_Bam! The door was quickly kicked open as Ruby made her way inside the ex-Mayoral Mansion._

_"Regina! Come on out! I know you're in here!" _

_"Why Mrs. French, to what do I owe this visit?" Appearing in the kitchen, the brunette's hands were on her hips, her eyes tired from crying, but of course she had her ways to still look the part of the Evil Queen._

_"Where the hell is Lucas?" Her hands were balled into fists, her eyes glowing yellow with seething rage._

_"I have no-"_

_"Stuff it, Evil Bitch, I know you did something to him! He's gone! He hasn't shown up for school, and neither has Charlotte! Which means something has happened to them, and I know you're involved!"_

_"Oh? So your ruffian son thinks he can run away with my daughter, does he? Well I hope she doesn't show up with fleas, but of course Belle already knows what that's like, doesn't she?" _

_The werewolf couldn't take another second of someone like Regina lashing out at those she loved dearly. _

_It was a low blow indeed, but Ruby had no idea this was the only way the woman could cope with the loss of her family. She refused to go after Emma or her in-laws. They were at peace now._

_Mrs. French, however, was another story._

_Back smashing into a counter, Ruby's hand was around Regina's throat, her eyes wild with fury. "If you think you can talk about Belle or Lucas in that manner, I'll kill you where you stand."_

_But it was a second later that the owner of the Diner was thrown back with such force, she hit the floor unable to get up. Regina loomed closer, her hands flashing wildly with her magic. _

_That's when they both heard noises quickly pulling them back to their normal selves._

_"Stop!" _

_"Regina, enough!" _

_Emma and Belle ran towards the fighting women, holding both back respectively. _

_"What is wrong with the two of you?" Belle spoke up first, anger in her glare as she saw the marks of Ruby's hand around Regina's throat as well as her wife sprawled on the floor in pain._

_"Regina, what the hell were you thinking? And you? Ruby? Look at my wife's neck! I should lock you both up, but since there are circumstances which require both of your assistance, I'm going to be lenient." Emma's arms were encircled around her lover; Regina's power shorting out not soon afterward. The Sheriff had learned spells to block the flow of magic in case of an emergency, and she wouldn't be surprised if Ruby was hit again once she let go._

_"Charlotte and Lucas are gone! And Belle, you know our son. He's not just going to run off and not say anything."_

_Belle's eyes fell from Ruby's gaze as her wife gawked in disbelief._

_"You know where he is?" The woman crossed her arms around her chest, softly groaning at the pain in her back._

_This time, it was Regina who spoke up, voice hoarse from the pressure that was forced upon her neck._

_"Lucas came to me, Ruby. He wanted to help Charlotte, to protect her. I told him no. I told him the girls had to do this on their own. That if he went back, who knows what could possibly happen. But the boy was adamant on helping her...And I sent him back. Belle showed up later. I'm not sure how she knew, but she did."_

_"You sent my son back in time for what? To do what, exactly? What the hell is that kid going to do? I...I've practically spent my entire life protecting him from things like this, and now he's going to be put in a situation he's not ready for! Regina, if he dies, I swear I'll have your head without the help of the Full Moon." _

_Belle went to reach for her wife, to help her up, but Ruby shrugged her away._

_"I'm not talking to you right now. You told me that you loved me. That we were in this together. Look at where we are, Belle! You could've told me he wanted to leave! I would've..."_

_"What, Ruby? Would've stopped him? This is Lucas' destiny now! You've kept him from everything! Look at where we are? We wouldn't be here if it weren't for your jealousy! Rumple wanted me, and if he thought he had me, even as something as low as acquaintances, then maybe everything would be all right. But I had to go and break this friendship with him. Whose idea was that?!" _

_Emma saw how her best friend and her wife were slowly breaking apart, and so she looked over at Regina, stress evident through the bags under her eyes. _

_The brunette nodded watching the blonde step forward._

_"I think you both need to get it together here. I wouldn't be able to cope with the loss of my daughters if I didn't have Regina. You two need each other. Lucas is going to be fine. When the girls come back...We will bring him back too. I promise. But to fight over this now is pointless and stupid._

_...Or maybe you both just need time away from one another? If so, I suggest you stop destroying your marriage with petty fights like these. You love each other. There's True Love. If not, then we couldn't have helped you with the birth of your son. He would not have been conceived without it. Go home." _

_After a moment of silence, both wives spoke up again, this time with a more scolding tone of voice._

_"Regina." Emma glanced at her wife._

_"Ruby?" Belle helped the woman up, holding her so she wouldn't fall._

_Both women stared at each other, not wanting to speak a word to one another. But Regina was first, extending her hand out to the woman she was close to killing moments ago in reconciliation._

_"Mrs. Fr-"_

_"Can it. It's Ruby."_

_"Yes, sorry, Ruby. I apologize for hurting you, and for what I said about your family. Lucas is a nice young man, and when I knew it was him who would be taking my daughter to the dance I was glad to hear it. I trust your son. But I know in my heart Charlotte needs him. He told me he promised to protect her, and I believe he can."_

_"Regina..." Ruby sighed, tired of the arguing and the fighting. She grasped the woman's hand, accepting her apology and replacing it with one of her own. _

_"I'm sorry too. It's just, my son is missing...I couldn't even begin to imagine how you two feel, if I weren't feeling it myself. The truth is, Belle is right. This is my fault. If I didn't try and keep that imp away, to just let them be friends, then he wouldn't have come looking for your daughters. And for that, I truly in my heart apologize."_

_Emma smiled when Regina brought Ruby in for a tight hug, something she was sure her friend deemed the woman incapable of. _

_"If you ever need anything...We're in this together, don't forget." Belle nodded, pulling Emma into an embrace. _

_"I know. Thank you. Now, the both of you, I suggest you find out a way to work on this marriage you two have going on. Trust is a big thing, you know." And with that, Emma watched her friends leave, rushing back towards Regina to help her._

_"Really, Regina Swan-Mills? You've been upset for days over this thing with our children, yet you have no problems putting that werewolf in her place?" There was an obvious twinkle in the blonde's eye, and her wife quickly caught it._

_"If you're trying to butter me up Mrs. Swan-Mills, it's working. Now, I must get back to work on finding a way to bring everyone back. Sending them there is the simple part. But coming back...It's something different."_

_"Regina?"_

_"Mmm?"_

_"Why did you agree to send Lucas back? To take care of our daughters? I thought we trusted our past selves to do that instead?"_

_The brunette nodded her head. "We did, however...I trust him. He'll watch over her, protect her, and maybe he can help rid of that fool once and for all. Maybe he needs to be there to change the past and push Rumplestilskin out of our future..."_

_Emma nodded her head, her hand caressing the woman's back as she made her way inside their bedroom, Regina exiting left to continue progress in the lab._

* * *

_"Are you still angry, Ruby?" Belle was the first one to speak up on their ride home, her face etched with sadness. A broken look staining her features._

_"Yes." _

_When she didn't speak after that, the Librarian's eyes welled with tears._

_Yet, the werewolf continued._

_"I'm angry at myself. I couldn't help but think this whole thing was my fault. This thing with Rumplestilskin. With Lucas. With Regina. With you. I've done nothing but turn our marriage upside down in a manner of days. Our son needed me. He needed someone to lean on, and he had you. But I rejected the part of him screaming out to me. And now he's on his own, in a place where I can't follow. I pushed him away."_

_She pulled over to the side of the road, burying her face in her hands and sobbing. "If Granny could see me now, she'd scold me. I was only trying to protect him..."_

_"You were trying to be her, Ruby. And you can't. I know you want to continue on this amazing legacy your grandmother left. But you are not her. She was so undeniably strong that those who angered her feared her, and those who adored her also loved her. You can't be Granny, but you can sure as hell be Ruby. I fell in love with all of the sides of you. And I told you this before..."_

_Belle smiled at the memory. It was a bit under twenty years ago._

"Everyone has a right to be afraid of me!_" The Ruby of the past cried out, chains clutched tightly in her hands._

"Well I'm not!"_ Belle gazed hard into her eyes, showing her strength; showing how she refused to believe the kind woman before her could be anything but gentle. Knowing she wasn't the beast everyone claimed her to be._

_And she had meant it. She never feared Ruby. She had always loved her. The fear she felt when leaving Rumple was the strength she gained from being with someone as free as Ruby. _

_Someone who held her hand and showed her the world. _

_Someone who didn't show imprisonment, but pancakes, syrup, and iced tea. _

_And she knew in her heart that she would stand by her True Love. She had given the taller woman their child; had carried Lucas during those nine months. _

_But it was only a fraction of what Ruby had given her._

_She had given her so much more._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- Thanks for the follows! You guys ROCK! As always, please review, lemme know what you think of this story. RedBeauty FTW :D**

**-All mistakes are mine and I don't own OUAT or RedBeauty would be canon **

* * *

It didn't take much force to get Lucas into her car.

The waitress didn't want to take a chance that he would run from her sight.

She only assured him they wouldn't be going to the Sheriff's station; Ruby too embarrassed to come to Emma with something as crazy sounding as this.

So, after about two hours of her pacing back and forth, wondering what to do, she realized they had to get away from the Diner.

Their car ride was filled with nothing but silence, the boy glancing at the window at the town that had barely changed over the years.

Ruby, however, had a hard time keeping her eyes on the road.

Whenever the car would stop, she'd take a moment to glance at the young man calling himself her son.

He did resemble her.

A lot.

The hair, the long, lanky limbs, even his smile was an exact replica of the waitress.

But to believe in something like this was insane.

Belle French was his other parent? C'mon now, not even Ruby was _that_ gullible. She had befriended the woman, watched as the librarian stood up for her in her time of need.

There was a time where they had even-

Well that didn't matter because she was back, once again, with that idiot Gold.

And Ruby was once more alone.

The vehicle stopped in front of the building she had regretted venturing to, knowing there was only one other person who could help her with this whole situation.

Even if it were past closing time.

Even if there was a slight chance the woman had gone home to her older than dirt boyfriend.

She watched as Lucas practically pushed the door to the car off of its hinges, running to the Library entrance, yet standing still at the closed oak doors.

"You were ready to run in there a minute ago. What happened?" Ruby curiously asked, watching the kid twiddle his thumbs.

"Well...She doesn't know me. And for a second, I guess...I just fell into that routine, you know? I've been here a million times. I'm so used to it. It's different, knowing who you both are, yet you not having a clue as to who I am."

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Ruby grabbed the boy's arm, knocking on the door.

"Listen, kid. You seem really, really smart. So I trust you won't scare the ever-loving-shit out of Belle with this future junk, right? Just please, play it cool. Please."

When the boy nodded, he smiled as the door opened, revealing an extremely exhausted Belle. The Library needed renovations, and there wasn't anyone else who would help her, deeming the idea of reading completely pointless. There was enough the town was busy with anyway.

Ruby had been helping out at one point, but Granny scolded her when she started spending too much of her time over there, and not enough time at the Diner.

"Ruby?" Her eyes quickly shot to the waitress, a soft flush on her cheeks, unnoticed by the darkness.

"What are you doing here so late? I...I know Granny needed that cookbook but I told her I wouldn't have anything sorted until next week."

The taller woman cleared her throat, eyes falling anywhere but the other woman's face, shaking her head. "Well I...I thought you could use someone's assistance...Since, this place is so big...So...I brought you a helper."

She stepped back, revealing Lucas, who couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mother's mouth.

"Aww, well thank you Ruby. You're very sweet. And so are you, um-"

"My name is Lu-"

"Peter. His name is Peter." Ruby quickly shot out, receiving a glare from the boy who claimed to be her son.

"Peter? Nice to meet you. Aren't you a new face in town? I've yet to see you around here."

"Well...I...I don't really like to get out much. I like to stay at home and read when I'm not in school-Ow!" He muttered, feeling a stray boot connect with his foot.

"Belle, he'll be right in so you can show him around. I just want to have a word with the kid before you give him the grand tour."

The woman nodded, sauntering off towards her books, Ruby's gaze hard on her backside.

"What. the hell. were you. thinking?" She said it slow, as if the boy had just jeopardized their entire plan with the way he had spoken to his future mother.

"Me?! What about you? My name is Peter?"

"Well I didn't want her to say anything, since, you know, my last name is Lucas? And c'mon! 'I like to stay at home and read'? Are you sure you're my kid? Because if so, then you are such a mama's boy, and I'm not talking about a relation to me!"

"But I do! And whether you don't like it, or don't believe it, she is my other parent! I don't understand why I can't let myself be known to her?"

"You wanna know why? Because the guy she's with is a snobby little jerk that _you_ specifically said you were trying to protect your _girlfriend_ from! And if he finds out anything about you, well I'm sure we're all royally fucked!"

"First of all, she's _not_ my girlfriend! And how would he find out about me? You obviously are doing such a great job by hiding my identity! Let me volunteer in the very Library my mother works at. No, he'll _never_ find me there."

Lucas rolled his eyes and Ruby had half a mind to slap him.

Were teenagers always this difficult? It had been twenty-eight years, so she wasn't sure she even had a memory of being a normal teenager. The only thing she and Lucas seemed to agree on was being rebellious towards their guardian.

"Ok, look, maybe that wasn't smart on my part. But kid? I can't have you hanging around the Diner. I wouldn't know what to do with you with Granny up my ass 24/7. And quite frankly, I think you should spend time with her. She has no one. She doesn't even have Gold...Dunno if she realizes that or not."

The werewolf cleared her throat, noticing the uncomfortable air from the voicing of her opinions.

"Fine. But you said you were going to leave me in her care? I don't want to stay the night here alone. Can...Can I stay with you? It would probably be better off anyway. You don't want anyone to know I'm here. Mess with the future and all that junk."

There was a glint of hopefulness in his voice, and a groan in hers as she nodded.

"Yeah, sure boy. You can stay with me. Now lets get you inside so you can take the tour of this place. And one more thing."

This time, her tone of voice became dark, and Lucas' ears shot up.

"You are here as a helper. Do not give the imp any reason to go after you. If you see him and he asks why you're doing this, it's for school credit or something. And if he does anything you think is...Well inappropriate, just remember this isn't your time. He can slobber over her as much as he freaking wants."

"Yeah but I'll be there to witness it, not you. Which I'm sure you're happy about."

"Kid...I seriously don't know what you're smoking. Hell, I don't even know why I'm going along with this. But I'm telling you for the hundredth time...There is no way I get together with that woman in there. And...It's because..."

"Because you're afraid, aren't you?"

His words made her senses shoot up, as she glanced into his eyes, daring him to repeat what had just escaped his lips.

"Afraid of what?" She spat, though there was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Of Gold. Of what he could do to you. To my Mom. To Granny. You raised me to protect those I care about. Though you never let me do any of the protecting. I think it's because you still can't let go of the fact that you won't lose anyone. You and Mom are very secretive about parts of your past. There are locked doors I don't know about. Especially pertaining to you."

Ruby gulped, glancing at the Library doors, trying to hastily make this conversation end.

"C'mon. It's late, and I'm sure Belle wants to go home. I'll be waiting in the car, all right?"

He didn't have to be told twice, rushing inside towards a place he had never known; never experienced since it had changed so much in so many years.

Sitting inside her car, as she said she would, the werewolf's face was buried inside her hands as she sobbed.

The boy had really hit a soft spot, and she knew if all of this were in fact true why he hadn't been told of her past, or why they had his middle name dubbed Peter.

If this were true, and he had come back, then Rumpelstiltskin was probably more frightening in the future than he had ever been during this time.

Her protective side started to get the better of her, and so Ruby decided to put aside the probability of this blowing up in her face later.  
Right now, she had a boy who needed her help and a woman who needed protecting.

_...Peter..._

* * *

"Wow!" Lucas' eyes marveled at the collection of books upon books. There weren't any upgrades performed yet, so nothing had been transferred to the internet, nor had there been an extra building for education purposes.

The building was just one giant mass of literature. Something he had enjoyed his whole life.

"I take it you've never been inside a Library this wonderful before, have you?" Belle's eyes glanced upon the form of her helper, how his jaw was slightly slack in awe from the sight before him.

"It's...It's really amazing M-Ma'am." He let out a giant exhale, catching himself quickly before that sentence continued.

"Please, call me Belle. Or if you're more formal, Miss French is fine. Regina does it all the time. Has yet to bother me."

"Belle." The boy tried the name out on his lips, and for a moment the Librarian could see a wave of sadness etched upon his features; but she shook it past her, thinking it was probably nothing.

"So, Peter, you seem like the only other person in this whole town who loves to read as much as I do. And yet, I've never seen you before. Where have you been hiding all this time?"

Ruby was right.

He was a mama's boy.

Lying to her had seemed like something he never thought he'd be doing in a million years. He had always promised her the truth, and it had resulted in a special bond between them.

But this wasn't his true mother.

This wasn't the woman who had showed him magical places in worlds written upon paper.

Nor was it the woman who picked him up and soothed him when he hurt himself playing around in the yard as a child.

Or the woman who showed him that he could be brave; he could be courageous, and he should believe in himself, like the heroes he had grown up worshiping in his books.

This wasn't the parent who had stood there and listened as he nervously confessed who he wanted to ask to the dance; nor was it the woman who encouraged him to do so, having a similar memory as to what his heart was feeling.

This wasn't his Mom. His Belle.

So he lied.

"I'm extremely busy with school. When I get home, there's too many chores to do, so I usually stay home and read until bed. Then I get up and do it all over again the next day. But since I'm on a bit of a vacation, I decided to put my time to better use."

He must have done something right, because after that, she seemed to nod her head in understanding.

"Trust me I appreciate all the help I can get. This place has been cleaned up for the most part, but there's still so much organizing to do. And it takes quite a bit of time for one person, so I'm happy to have you on board."

"I'm happy to be of help Miss French."

"Well, it really is getting late. And I should be going home. Plus, I know Ruby is probably wondering where you are if she's your ride. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Lucas walked outside to where his mother was sitting in the car, her eyes looked red and glassy.

"Hey, Ma, are you all right?" He asked, a look of worry upon his face.

"Yeah, kid. I'm fine. C'mon. Let's get you to the Diner. You have a pretty big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Ma?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you probably don't think any of this is real, but...thank you."

The waitress nodded her head. "Kid, before you came in my life, I was Red. Then Ruby. Now I'm supposed to be Mrs. French? Every time I manage to find out something about myself and become content with it, it changes. So I'll play along with your little game. See where the change gets me. Guess if this is all some sick joke, I'm going to find out anyway."

"Well it's not. I promise you that. Hey, can I meet Granny? You tell the best stories about her."

"Do I? Well I suppose we could tell her what's going on. She doesn't have a big mouth, and she is family."

His smile mirrored the ones she had often given to those she cared about.

And as each moment passed, whether in silence or conversation, she was starting to see things about him she hadn't noticed when they first met.

Maybe, just maybe, this kid was something more than just a thorn in her side.

* * *

_He was running, fast._

_Heart about to explode in his chest, eyes wide at unfamiliar territory. _

_Where was he?_

_He wasn't aware of much, only that snow had been piled on the ground. _

_This vision...this place...he'd seen it before._

_He'd seen her before. _

_Eyes green as the last leaves on the dying shrubs, hair darker than the mountains, and a cloak, blood red._

_She was worried, her face spelled it all. _

_Her companion seemed to be consoling her, hand rubbing up and down her back._

_The woman was beautiful; with lips red as a rose, hair black as ebony, and skin white as snow. _

_"I know you want to protect him. If he'll listen to anyone, believe anyone, it's you." _

_"You think I can save him?" The cloaked woman's voice wavered, the ebony haired woman noticing how close she was to tears._

_A warm smile in the darkness. "I think you can save everyone."_

_And in that flash of a second, He was somewhere else, a different scene in time. _

_The man in front of His vision looked calm, but his voice held a panicked whisper._

_"You think this wolf man is me? Red, you know me."_

_"I know its not you...But...Maybe it's using your body?"_

_"Red...I can't keep hurting people. I can't hurt the ones I love. And if I hurt you? I would never be able to forgive myself."_

_"...The full moon nights. We can chain you, that way you can't break free. I won't let anything happen to you." _

_He leaned in to kiss her softly, agreeing with her plan. It had to work. _

_A different time now. _

_He heard the same male voice, but this time, it was screaming; pleading in terror._

_"Red! Stop! It's me, Peter! This isn't you!" _

_A single tear rolled down the wolf's cheek, its lips pulled back to a snarl as it approached the man._

_And then, it pounced..._

Lucas heard the pounding of footsteps against the wooden floor, someone coming to check up on his now screaming form.

He was shaking, his heart racing as sweat caressed every pore on his body.

Ruby was the first one to arrive, pushing the door to what would've been Belle's room open, before she heard the voice of the second occupant.

"What the hell is going on in here?!"

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_ This wasn't how Ruby wanted Granny to meet her great-grandson.

"Granny...It's..."

"A boy? When the hell did he get here?" She paused to study him for a moment. "There's no way you're doing anything like that with this boy. He's far too young for any of your games."

"Granny...Not now." She turned towards her son and raised her eyebrow at the disheveled form.

"What happened to you?"

"I...I had a nightmare, that's all. It's nothing." He didn't want to reveal who he saw. The images burned into his mind, but admitting them would make it all real.

"Nothing? Child, you're shaking like someone scared the piss out of you." Granny walked over to the boy, sitting next to him on the bed and pressing a cool hand to his sweaty forehead.

"You'll be all right. Ruby used to get night terrors too, when she was young." It was then her eyes washed over his face, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Boy, you really need to fix up that hair. You must be what? Fifteen? Sixteen? I thought so. A young man shouldn't look like he's ready to party. A young man should be ready to protect and defend."

"Granny, must you really chastise him like that? He looks like he's ready to fall over and die from fright."

"All right, all right. Ruby, we need to get him a glass of water. C'mon. Let him rest up a bit."

Granny was the last one to leave, closing the door behind her. "So, there's only one question I have. I don't care who he is. All I would like to know is why in blazes is there a teenage boy in our spare room-"

"Granny," Ruby interrupted, "I can explain..."

But the woman held up a hand to stop her.

"I'm not done. Why is there a teenage boy in our spare room that looks just like you?"

Ruby was taken aback for a moment, letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Because he's my son."

The elder woman's eyes quickly widened as she glanced at Ruby's stomach.

"Are you crazy? When the hell have you ever been pregnant?"

"I wasn't...Um...Belle was...You see...He's come back here, from the future. He's...Something happened in his time. And he's here to protect his girlfriend. Though she's not his girlfriend so he says. I think it's a load of cra-"

"Ruby, focus. First off, how is Belle his mother? I guess I can see it in the eyes, but...The future thing? Have you been raiding my liquor cabinets again?"

"No! Look!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out Granny's ring. The older woman quickly smacked her upside the head.

"Are you stealing from me?"

"No! The kid had it! Granny, this is your ring, but look at it! It looks even more worn out than the one you have! He said I gave it to him..."

"Oh." She knew the only way the young man would have the ring is if she willed it to him through his mother; through Ruby.

There was a somber sense in the room as the elder woman's head bowed for a moment.

"Granny...I love you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I've been nothing but a failure to you...You of all people...You've been more of a parent to me than anyone. And I know I never say it, but...I want you to know that."

The elder woman embraced her granddaughter, a smile on her face.

"It'll be all right, Red. Listen, I want to meet him. I have a feeling he wants to meet me too. But promise me something?"

Ruby smiled, hand on her grandmother's shoulder.

"Anything."

"Take those damn streaks out of his hair. He looks like you when we first got here."

"Granny!" And with that, she followed back into the room.

"What's your name, boy?" Granny asked, intrigued at nearly everything her great-grandson had to say.

Oh, he was family all right. She could tell. Her wolf sense, and her heart could feel it.

"Lucas. Please, no one else can know I'm here." He started to show his nervousness, the terror of his mother turning into a wolf and attacking a man still had him on edge.

"We're not going to tell anyone, kid. Don't worry." Ruby swore, holding his hand in a protective manner.

"I have to find her. I have to find Charlotte. She needs me to protect her."

"Apparently this dream was worse than I thought. You're fidgeting around like a bunny rabbit. What did you see?"

Granny had seen it before.

He had practically lived through an event so traumatic, he was still living it, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

"I saw...Ma, I saw you...You turned into a wolf."

"What? Lucas don't you know-"

But Granny stopped her.

"You've never seen that before, have you? Know anything about a wolf in your time?"

"There's a wolf in Storybrooke, but...I have yet to see it."

"Ah, just as I suspected. It's all right, child. You don't have to worry about your mother or wolves anymore. But that man, Mr. Gold, I'd advise you to stay away from him. He's dangerous, Lucas. He won't have a problem capturing you and hurting the ones in this time that you love dearly."

"Ruby tells me you're volunteering at the Library? That means you're going to need all of the rest you can get. C'mon, back to bed. Here. This should help you sleep. "

Taking the ring poised around the chain Lucas had brought with him, Granny placed it over his neck, kissing his temple.

"You'll be all right. You're part of our family. There's no doubt about that."

When she walked outside again, pulling the switch down to turn the light off, a whisper escaped the elder woman's lips.

"He doesn't know. I wonder why. I wonder what keeping such an important secret will do to this boy in the future. I don't know if you should tell him. I don't know if the parent of his time wants him to know. But I would like to know why she failed to mention anything."

"I don't know. She's not me. All I know about future me from that boy is that I'm extremely protective. I must've started acting like that when..." And with that thought, she tried to escape Granny's gaze.

"Listen...Red...We don't know when. We don't know how. But you have this amazing son that was somehow brought to you. I mean, for a moment there, if it weren't for the looks I wouldn't imagine him to be your child. He seems so smart!"

A chuckle escaped into the air, as well as a roll of the wolf's eyes.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you." A smile formed itself upon the younger woman's face as a hand caressed her cheek.  
"Granny? Aren't you a bit shocked? I mean...About who his other parent is?"

"Yes. The fact that Belle is his other parent, let alone Mother, is something that truly terrifies me."

"Because she's a woman?"

"No. Because she's Rumplestiltskin's woman..."

"But he doesn't own her!" She all but screamed the same thing she had been repeating for a while now.

"Don't raise your voice. And it doesn't matter. He can have anything he wants with the dark magic that surrounds him. The fact that you're her True Love and not him is something that perplexes me as well. He always made it seem like he was the only one she would ever have in her life. But that's different now. Speaking of Belle, did she meet Lucas?"

"Erm...Yes and no." The waitress' gaze soon fell to the floor, feeling a scolding look upon her.

"What do you mean 'yes and no'? Did she meet him or not?"

"Ok, she did. She met him. But under the guise of someone else. Lucas' middle name is Peter, go figure, so we used that alias...and I kind of told her that he was there to help her out at the Library. So...she's met him, but she doesn't know he's her son."

"Oh Ruby. You need to tell her."

"Granny, I can't. If I do and that imp finds out, he's bound to snap. And if he does, he will probably keep Belle from ever seeing the outside of his house again, as well as try to use Lucas to connect to the future somehow. I can't let that happen."

"Snow always thought you could save anyone, didn't she? Maybe you need to take a look at your protecting in a different angle? Instead of fighting the ones who attack those you love, why not shield the ones you are protecting instead?"

"It's...It's always so easy to just attack...To protect them while putting myself in danger."

"Maybe it's not what he needs right now. Maybe he needs more than just a protector, Ruby. I want you to remember something...I may have never said this before, but looking at him lets me know that I probably should have..."

The elder woman took a deep breath, a single tear making itself present.

Ruby was sure she had never seen Granny cry before.

"I know you're going to want to interrupt me, but don't. Please. Listen."

There was a pause in the air, more like a chill than anything else.

"What happened to Peter is _not_ your fault, Ruby. It's mine. I should've told you about the wolf. But I tried my hardest to protect you from everything. I didn't think you would have benefited from knowing anything. I thought I was keeping you from pain, and I only managed to cause it. Please...Do not let this boy suffer for the mistakes I've made. You can't protect everyone. And he knows he can't...But to shield him? If this boy is here, and he really is from a future where you and Belle are together, then I do believe you will have him in your life in our time."

Ruby struggled to wipe the tears from her eyes, her vision of her grandmother blurring with every word the woman managed to speak.

"Protect him, but let him know what it's like to protect others. Teach him what its like to be someone who can be relied on. He made it seem like you had him caged up. And I know you wouldn't want anything happening to him, but if I never had let you go...You wouldn't be this amazing and strong woman that I've raised."

She grabbed the girl in for a hug, feeling the tears stain her shoulder.

"Now, you need to get to sleep. I'm not letting you get away with sleeping in, even if this ordeal is going on. And you need to take Lucas to see Belle tomorrow. Don't forget, you can't keep her in the dark for long..."

"I know, Granny. And thank you. I love you."

"I love you too, Red."

And with that, she walked back into her room, the elder woman's words echoing in her head.

_It's not your fault..._

For the first time in years, even since the curse had broken, Ruby was finally able to sleep without a single nightmare plaguing her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N- Moving right along to chapter 4! What the hey is up with RedBeauty stories and reviews? Yeesh, I should've switched to the SwanQueen side ;) (kidding, kidding) Anyways, just to warn ya, there's a wee bit of F/F kissing, but hey it's a friggin fem/ story so if you didn't know that already then...oops! As always, please check out The Last Resort by Alaska829Snow for the SwanQueen (and original) version of this story! Thanks!_**

* * *

_Twenty Years Ago..._

_"Where are we going?! C'mon, you can't just blindfold me and not say anything!" The owner of the complaining voice tried to sniff out her surroundings, but to no avail._

_"Stop trying to be such a wolf! It's a surprise, silly!" A sweet, accented voice filled the air, as the shorter woman led around a very reluctant werewolf._

_"Ruby Lucas, don't you dare take that blindfold off!" Belle warned, a smile in her voice that was easily identified._

_After a few more steps, they stopped, and it was during that moment the taller woman was worried. Where were they? How far off from town did the Librarian take her?_

_"You can take it off now, you big crybaby." _

_With a snort and a roll of her eyes, the blinded woman removed the cloth from her eyes, blinking twice until her vision came into focus._

_What was lingering before her eyes was indescribable for words._

_"Belle?"_

_"It's...Well..I know it's late, but I know how you love being in the woods, and how you often miss it here, so I thought...Well...Maybe we could have an overnight picnic? Since I don't really have anywhere to go?"_

_The last few words had gone undetected by her companion, and so they sat in silence for a few, eating and staring out into the wilderness._

_"This was such a wonderful surprise, Belle...Hey! Maybe we could take a picture? That way even though I'll always remember it, we can always look back at such a great time we shared together?" _

_The Librarian nodded her head as Ruby grabbed her phone, making a hilarious pose which caused the other woman to laugh hysterically. The button on the phone snapped, and when it was revealed showed a heartwarming picture._

_"I love it," the shorter woman whispered, causing the wolf to feel goosebumps crawling all over her skin._

_When the picnic itself was over, they were both still sitting, talking about their work, sharing little details about themselves._

_"And he came in looking for a book to help him with...Well I guess you could say a 'problem' he was having. I gave him the book, but I told him I wasn't a doctor...And he ran out the door like you would not believe." _

_Ruby had been laying on her back, listening to the woman's story with extreme interest, urging to hear more about her friend. _

_The night had been going so smoothly, and the wolf wished it would never end; however, at that moment, time resumed when Belle yawned._

_Quickly sitting up, the taller woman couldn't help but frown as an apologetic Belle muttered on how she had worked some crazy hours at the Library, and how sleep was a rarity these days._

_"I think I should get you home. Do you think Gold will mind if I take you? Or would you rather call him?"_

_A frown made its way to the lips of an innocent woman as tears leaked from her eyes. "I...I'm sorry...It's just...We had a really bad falling out. And...He kicked me out."_

_"That bastard! Don't worry, Belle. I'll go over there and talk with him. He won't hurt you anymore, I promise."_

_"No!" The cry was loud and startled._

_"What?"_

_"You can't talk to him, Ruby." _

_"Why?" She was perplexed, and yet every bone in her body stood frozen in time._

_"Because I left him. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him anymore."_

_"W...Why?" The waitress' throat went dry as she squeaked out the words._

_"...Because of you..." She took Ruby's hand in her own, pressing it to her heart._

_"Belle, what are you doing?" This time, the woman spoke in a harsh whisper._

_"I left him. I told him I'm not coming back...The fight initiated because...Because I'm in love with you, Ruby. I told him I'm done, and that I can't be with someone I don't have true feelings for." Belle nuzzled the woman's neck, placing a soft kiss on what seemed to be a pleasurable spot on her body._

_"Are you sure...?"_

_And with that, the Librarian pulled away from her date, only to pull her in for a rich, passionate kiss that had left both women breathless._

_Belle's head was now resting on Ruby's chest._

_"I'm sure."_

* * *

_It had been plaguing her mind for days now, thoughts of her son. _

_Sitting at the family table, her eyes bore into glass as she thought of the person she admired most scolding her for being foolish towards her family._

_A presence appeared behind her, leaning over to kiss the woman on the cheek, taking the vacant seat next to her wife._

_"Ruby, what's wrong? What are you thinking about?" A hand came to rest itself on the wolf's thigh, rubbing it for comfort. _

_When the owner of the Diner was continuously quiet, Belle spoke up._

_"Emma was right, you know. If we keep going on like this, we will lose our marriage. Ruby, please...Talk to me. You've been thinking for days. Let me in."_

_Green eyes glanced up from the table to bore into blue, hand reaching out to take her wife's own._

_"I'm sorry, Belle...I just...I made a mistake. I...I've been avoiding confronting Lucas about his family. About his history. Some part in my mind thought he might be born normal...But he's sixteen, and..."_

_She paused for a moment, unsure how she would explain this to the woman; how much of it she'd come to understand._

_"And...he's there, alone. By himself...Not knowing anything about this curse, or how to control it. And if he transforms...If out of anger he becomes something they can't control...What can we do?"_

_A gasp escaped the shorter woman's lips as she realized the extent of danger her son could be in._

_"Ruby...Listen to me. Your past self, she's not that different from who you are today. You had to learn lessons through things no one should have had to experience. But...I'm sure she will protect him...I...I have faith in the you here, and the person you used to be." _

_She walked over to the fireplace in their home and pulled an old picture frame that had settled upon the mantle._

_"Do you remember when we took this picture?" Belle asked, handing the frame to Ruby._

_There was a photo of the two of them, the wolf making a funny face, and the Librarian laughing. _

_A smile was soon plastered upon Ruby's features as she nodded her head._

_"I remember. That night...You told me about Gold...You told me you had finally found the strength to leave him..."_

_Belle decided to finish the sentence for the woman."...because of you." _

_"And then..."_

_But after that point, there was silence, all except for a gasp that had escaped Ruby's throat as her wife pressed a mind numbing kiss upon her lips._

_When she pulled away, both women panting from the passion in their kiss, Belle held both of the wolf's hands in her own._

_"Listen to me...Please. Ruby, I love you. Every side of you. I miss you when you leave during those three days the moon decides to call you. And I'm joyous when you come back. I see so much of you in our son. It breaks my heart when you become so distant. We need to fix what we have, or memories like this photograph will be reduced to nothing but pain and tears...Those are moments we should never want to get back. We've lived through the heartache. Let's stay away from it now."_

_A frown was on the wolf's face as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved._

_"Belle...Where in the world did you learn to kiss like that?" The room echoed, revealing a laugh, a smile, and a hand slapping the arm of a particular smart-ass. _

_They both knew their relationship could only prosper, no matter what was thrown at them. And they both wouldn't have it any other way._

* * *

Ruby glanced at her son during the walk to the Library.

She wasn't used to him looking this glum; though it had only been two days since he came into her life.

"Kid, you have to tell me what's wrong. I'm not a mind reader."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, after what seemed like minutes pondering what to say.

"You must be thinking about something. That's Belle's brain in there, you know."

With a soft chuckle, Lucas stopped walking to turn towards his mother, shaking his head. "I guess it's just...Home. This place is so different. I'm not used to it yet. And...Charlotte's birthday is coming up. I promised her I'd be there. I'm supposed to be here to protect her, not to only visit you. I promised her mother."

"Boy, you've got some package there to promise Regina Mills anything. _Especially_ that you'll protect her daughter. But hey, don't worry. Look, I just need for you to stay with Belle. For now. Then we'll try to track down your girlfriend."

"She's not _my_ girlfriend..."

"Whatever you say, kid. It's your denial."

Not bothering to knock, Ruby waltzed into the Library, looking around for the woman whose presence plagued her heart with undescribable emotions.

"Belle? We're here! I brought your helper!"

"Be there in a minute!" She heard the sweet voice call, feeling her heart leap in her chest.

But her feelings soon came to a crashing halt when she saw a hand resting on the woman's shoulder.

"Ah, Miss Lucas. Nice to see you today, Dearie. And...Who is this dashing young man I hear will be helping _my_ Belle in the Library?"

"Mr. Gold, this is Peter. He's a student at the high school, and needed some extra credit hours. He came into the diner asking me if I knew a place that needed help, so I directed him here. Hopefully now Belle can get home quicker instead of staying up so late to renovate this place, hmm?" If she had fur, it would've bristled, fangs would be pulled back into a snarl.

But the only thing Ruby could do at the moment was shoot a competitive glare at the man who she knew had given her son trouble in the future.

"Ah, nice to meet you, Peter. You are rather shy, I presume? Letting Miss Lucas do all of the answering for you?" He challenged, but the boy kept quiet, nodding his head.

"Yes sir." Was the only thing he was able to mutter outward.

Sensing the tension, Belle decided to diffuse the situation quickly. "Oh! Ruby! I almost forgot, I came across some cookbooks while I was stocking the shelves. Why don't you see if this is what Granny needs?"

When Ruby walked quickly after Belle, Lucas went to follow but was quickly stopped by a cane blocking his path.

"I don't know who you are, boy. And I don't know why you are here to help. But if you try anything with Belle, or if she gets injured in any way, believe me on this one, I will have your head. Your corpse will be so marred that your parents won't be able to identify you," the elder man seethed, but was in slight shock when he was met with a smirk.

"Not to be rude, or anything, sir, but my parents are dead. Don't worry though. I'm only here to help. You have my word on that."

And with that, Gold and Lucas went their separate ways, but not before the elder man knocked into the boy with his shoulder, a feat that wouldn't have hurt...If the man wasn't Rumpelstiltskin himself.

"Oww.." Lucas muttered, walking back towards his parents, expecting to find them talking about books.

But that was before he heard the arguing.

"He's no good for you, Belle! Can't you see that? That's not a man you should want to be with!"

"Stop it! Just stop it, Ruby! I'm tired of you always telling me what is or what isn't good for me! You don't even know him!"

"When you had the accident...When you were in the hospital, I was there every single day! I made sure you were all right! And when you yelled at me, when you kicked me out, I was still there! He wasn't there for you, he was there for himself!"

"He promised me he'd be there for me, and he was! Don't you understand that?!"

"I know broken promises when I see them, and trust me, he's full of them! "

"Because you know all about broken promises so well, don't you?! If you want to get technical, both of you have hurt me!"

The wolf became silent for a moment, bowing her head in shame.

"I did the things I did to protect you."

"Protect me?! You call kissing me and then locking me in the library so you could get yourself killed protecting me?!"

"I'm a monster, don't you get that?!"

"No, you're _not_!"

"Stop it! The both of you, just stop!" Lucas walked into the room, hearing enough. His heart ached as he knew he had to go through this like a boy that just happened to walk in on two grown women fighting; not a son who saw his mothers on the brink of destruction because of their incessant arguing.

"Ruby, just...Just go. I'll take care of Peter. You don't want to be late. Granny will scream at you if you are."

"Belle...I'm sorry."

"Hey...We'll talk later, all right? It's ok. Go." Unable to look back because of red and puffy eyes, the waitress made her way out of the building, making sure she looked presentable enough before she came across any customers.

"Sorry you had to see that." Belle muttered to the boy, shaking her head, "...she's...I care about her. She's such a good person. But it's _my_ life."

Nodding his head in understanding, Lucas decided not to push the issue further.

But he was greatly upset.

Before him was a woman who he had such an amazing connection with. A woman that cared about him more than anyone else had.

A woman who didn't even know who he was.

Because, like with everything else in his life, his mother had to protect him.

Sure, he loved Ruby. She had helped him with many things in his life growing up.

But now as he started to become of age, there was something different about the gaze he shared with his mother. A questioning gaze as if she were looking for something deep into the confines of his own soul.

"I didn't mean to walk in on your conversation before." Came the murmur from the boy.

"It's fine. I'm glad you did. I can't take fighting with her that much longer."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Peter, what is it?"

"She called herself a monster. And you said she wasn't but...Why would she say something like that about herself?"

"It's...It's because of who she is. The town, they almost killed her when the full moon hit. She can't just go off running like that, especially in wolf form. It's dangerous and-"

"What do you mean, wolf form?" Though he interrupted, his eyes were filled with a curious, questioning gaze.

"You know, right? C'mon she assured me everyone in this town knows about her being the wolf?"

"What?"

"Yes, the Storybrooke werewolf is Ruby, didn't you know that? It's why she's the best tracker. It's why there was a time where everyone went after her, because they had thought she killed someone. But its not true. She's not like that..She's-Are you all right? You look gravely ill..."

"M...My...My _mom_ is...Is the Storybrooke werewolf? She's...She's the wolf? And she...She kept it from me! All my life, I wondered why there was a locked door in our lives...Why there was always something she had been hiding from me! And this was it?! This was the biggest secret of them all!"

"Hey, calm down. Please...Peter, please..." Belle begged, grabbing the boy and holding him tightly.

Her embrace enabled him to gain control of himself, breathing going back to normal.

"Did you call Ruby your...your _mother_?"

_Shit_.

He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking if he avoided it then it might go away.

"Peter?"

With her holding him like this, a remnant of the life he had been missing since he came to this period in time, he realized he couldn't lie to her any longer.

"Yes...I...I did."

"If...If she's your mother...Then who's your father? Dr. Whale?"

He rolled his eyes in disgust. "Why the hell does everyone from this time think that? Dr. Whale is you and Ma's friend! He's not my father! I don't have one...I was created by a spell..A spell and the love of two people."

"Ok, ok, I apologize. Who is your other parent?" Belle glanced up into the boy's eyes. This time, she had been taken aback, getting a true chance to look at the young man.

He looked a lot like Ruby.

But his eyes. They were a different story.

They looked like...They looked like...

"You have my eyes. How...How is that possible?" The woman's hands moved over her mouth in shock as tears rolled down her cheeks.

When he didn't answer, that was looked upon as a confirmation for the Librarian.

"You're my son?"

"How is that possible? I'm with...I'm not in love with..."

"You carried me. You...You helped me find solace in books. You showed me how to protect those I care about..My Mom from where I'm from and from this time both say I have your mind. Oh, and you also helped me ask this girl to a high school dance. We're really close."

"Your time? And exactly where are you from? Is Peter even your real name?"

"No...It's...It's not. My name is Lucas. Lucas Peter French. And...I'm from the future. I came back to protect this girl...Charlotte...Um...Charlotte Swan-Mills."

"Well that's not much of a surprise there. Those two were bound to get married, the way they always eye each other." The woman chuckled, reaching forward to put her hands on both sides of the boy's face.

"You're really my son? And Ruby...She's really your mother? I mean...this can't be possible. I'm with Mr. Gold."

"Not in my time you're not. You left him for my mother. Because you love her. If you didn't, I would not be here to tell you this." Lucas couldn't help himself, bringing Belle in for a hug.

"I know its hard to believe, but it's true."

"Wait. You're supposedly our child, and you don't know about Ruby? About her being the werewolf?"

"She never told me. You're...well, you're the more lenient parent. She's extremely protective. I'm sixteen years old, I don't know why she won't let me grow up."

"What does that mean for you?"

"What do you mean, Mom?"

"Well...Wow, I am not ready for this at all..." Belle chuckled, shaking her head. "I...I mean...If Ruby is a werewolf, and you're her son also..Then?"

"There's no way...I mean...I haven't felt anything. And I'm old enough already, don't you think?"

"I suppose. There are places even your mother won't let me go." She realized how easy it was to slip into that role as Lucas' other parent.

How it was something she had always wanted.

But with Ruby?

Not with Mr. Gold?

She had loved Ruby, given her a chance. And yes, Ruby had been there for her in her time of need. But then she left, decided not to contact the Librarian anymore.

She wondered what it was that would finally make her leave Gold. And would she want to? Now that she had this information in her hands, could she use it to change her future?

But what would become of Lucas? He was a great kid. Her child that she had supposedly nursed and carried for nine months.

Something she had experienced with the waitress and not...Not the man that she had thought she was in love with.

"Does Ruby know about all of this?" Her question made the boy pull away from their embrace, his eyes glancing everywhere but at his mother.

"I'll take that as a yes. Why wouldn't she tell me?"

"Because of Mr. Gold...Because...In my time, he's trying to kill my friend...He's...You left him, even as a friend, and he can't take that. I'm afraid he would do anything to get you back...Ma didn't want to risk you or me getting into danger. And she knows I'm here to protect Charlotte and her sister Amelia..She wanted to protect them too."

"You really like this girl, don't you? And your mother and I let you have a girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend! She's just some girl I asked to the dance...I...I've known her since we were infants. You and Mrs. Swan-Mills are really close."

"I'm close to...Regina?"

"Well yeah, you both have hard headed wives, you know. Mom isn't the easiest to get along with. I mean, she does with Emma..."

"So we're married? Happily married with one son? If...If Ruby weren't so overprotective all the damn time, then yeah, I could see it. But something tells me she's worse in your time than she is here."

"You're winding her down, don't worry about that. Are you sure you're all right with all of this? I know its a lot to take in, Mom, but...Please...You have to believe me. I'm here to protect someone I care about...And...Well I wanted to see what you guys were really like back then. I guess...I guess it's kind of a bit of a difference. You being Mr. Gold's girl and all."

"And nothing will change that, Lucas. I'm not just going to open arms with Ruby because that's the future we're supposed to have. I love him. And...And yes, I do have feelings for your mother, but...That doesn't mean anything. Please understand that."

"I do. But I want you to understand something. You can't tell him. You can't let anyone know about me. Only Ma, Granny, and you know I'm here. Charlotte doesn't even know I went after her. She'd probably be pissed if she found out."

"I promise you that I won't tell anyone. Now c'mon. You're here to work, so I'm putting you to work."

"You have no idea, I actually come here and help you for fun."

"You are my son." Belle smiled, kissing the boy on the cheek before giving him proper instruction as to help fix up the Library.

* * *

Ruby came dashing in a few hours later, panting and sweating from a long days work.

What she found was the woman she cared about drinking a cup of tea while her son sat in a chair, dosing off.

"Peter fell asleep waiting for you. He helped me out all day. I thought it would be nice for him to get some rest," the librarian whispered, hinting off she might know more than the taller woman thought she did.

"Oh? That's good I suppose. Hopefully you put the kid to good use."

"I did. Did you know he's an orphan?" Belle put her cup down, slowly walking towards Ruby, staring her dead in the eye.

The werewolf could do nothing but gulp, shaking her head as her mouth became dry.

"I...I didn't...I just..he came asking for help...That's all..."

"Oh? So...you don't know his much about him then, do you? Hmm...Ruby?" The way her name rolled of the woman's tongue made Ruby's heart beat a million miles an hour.

"I...might've heard a few things...about his life..." She froze, watching as the shorter woman inched closer and closer, pressing her lips close to the waitress' right ear.

"I know he's our son..." She whispered, and when she pulled away, her gaze shot straight to Ruby's eyes, not before sweeping across her lips first.

"I...I didn't want him to get hurt...I didn't want Gold to...to..." Her heart slammed in her chest as the woman placed a finger upon red lips, quieting her.

"I know. And I know about us...Ruby, that doesn't mean that things are going to happen the way we want them. What if I wanted something different? You had your chance, and you just...You blew it. You walked away from what we had because you were afraid. So now I'm supposed to come crawling back to you?"

She removed her finger, pressing her lips softly to Ruby's own in a kiss that left both their hearts wanting more.

"That could've been something more...I'm not leaving Gold just because this boy is here claiming to be our son from a future time. The future could change if I wanted it to. You know that."

"And you know I love you, Belle. You know how I feel about you. So please...You can't just...Walk out of my life..."

"Like you walked out of mine? I'm sorry, Ruby. But I'm with him now. And...And unless something happens that makes me want to leave, well...for now, I'm staying."

It was something more than wanting to be with Gold over Ruby that plagued the Librarian.

It was protecting her child the only way she knew how; being a mother before it was her time to actually be one.

She loved Ruby, that much was certain. But she would protect her family over anything else. And if it meant being with Gold, then that's what she would do. But there was also a part of her that truly loved him, something that wouldn't just fade because of the boy's presence.

Ruby knew in her mind that bastard would stop at nothing to push the two of them apart, even if he didn't know about Lucas.

He knew how Ruby felt towards his girlfriend, and that was enough to enable him into a mode of rage not even the werewolf could control.

So when just yesterday a crescent moon started to hang in the sky, and this evening, the moon was almost full, she knew that man had something to do with it.

She knew tomorrow the change would be forced within her unlike any other time before.

And she not only feared for her safety, but for her son's as well.

**_PS- This story also takes place AFTER Belle gets her memories back, in case you were wondering. She'd make such a great Librarian! Ah! They're so cute together -girly squeal-_**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- This chapter is dedicated to my real life brother, Seven. Thank you for being my number one reviewer and supporting me this whole time, during this whole story, and listening to me rant about RedBeauty ALL THE TIME. I love you :) Anyways, I kinda wanted to put this up there: so this story is pretty angsty, because I know that all I really, really write is angst. But I promise you, I'm going to try to make sure it gets better (it'll have a happy ending. Shoosh). Also a shout out to my 2 reviewers and my 11 followers because you guys are flippin' amazing!**

* * *

When the boy arrived here, he didn't imagine the past like it were now.

He truly thought his parents had escalated their relationship into something more than just awkward glaces when they thought no one was looking.

He also didn't imagine the threat looming over his head would start to get closer and closer. Or his mother being the Storybrook werewolf. Or the changes in himself he wasn't prepared for.

All of this combined gave him no incentive to sleep, therefore he sat on the roof of the diner, watching the dim lighted city quiet in its slumber.

Footsteps that weren't his own knocked him out of cursed thought.

"Are you all right?" He turned his head to face the woman who would be his mother in the future; the woman who was responsible for most of the anxiety he was feeling.

"No. I'm not. You lied to me. All my life, you've lied to me," Lucas turned back around to face the city, unable to show any interest in speaking with Ruby.

"Kid-er, Lucas...I couldn't have lied to you. I barely even know you. I'm not the woman you know from your time. But one day, maybe I will be."

She paused before continuing, taking a seat next to him to view the beauty across the horizon.

"I think it's Granny, you know? I've spent most of my life hating her ways of protecting me. It was almost like she never wanted me to live my own life, or do my own thing. But now that I think about it? Now that I know that day I've feared more than anything in the world is coming...I understand why I would probably feel the way I did. You know what though? I think you being here changes some things about me."

His head shot up, blue eyes boring into his mother's green. "Yeah? Like what?"

"That I'm not perfect. I'm...I'm me. And something I blamed myself for so long ago...It doesn't define who I am today. It only makes me stronger."

A pause as he listened, a question still lingering on his lips.

"So...You really are the Storybrooke werewolf then? I don't understand why you and Mom would have such a hard time telling me this."

"Because we're afraid of the world out there. You're going to be my son. I know that if you really were my true kid, I'd give my everything to protect you. There are people out there who would kill you just because you could be a threat to them. And we only want what's best for you."

"Do you think it's in me, too?" He asked, shaking slightly, placing a hand over his heart.

"I don't know, kid."

But his disappointed face made her continue.

"Even if it is, though? Does it matter? So you deal with it. I'll be here to help you, just like your mom from your time would probably want me to. And that girl? Well...If she really likes you, she'll accept you for who you are, no matter what happens. Your mom waits for me every month, doesn't she?"

"How did you know that?" He whispered, slightly surprised.

His mother had always said she was required to leave for three days out of the month, something to do with supplies for the Diner.

He knew now it wasn't exactly the truth.

"Trust me, wolf's intuition."

"I understand now though. The puns Mom always used to make. Calling us the Wolf Clan, commenting on your "wolfish hearing". I thought it was just a nickname, just a saying or a tease. But I guess it's more than that, huh?"

"Yeah. It's a lot more than that. Your mother with those words of hers. I could see it. Us? I could see that too, if she weren't already taken by that man," Ruby scooted closer, grateful he didn't back away.

"Do you love her?"

She was taken back by the question for a moment, but figured the kid was old enough for the truth.

She had held enough from him as it were; at least, that's what it seemed like.

"I really don't know, Lucas. I thought I did. There was a time when...When I would give anything for her. When I gave everything I had to protect her. And I was stupid because of it. I would've rather died than trusted the side I hated most to her...And then I let her go."

"Why?" He was perplexed by her words, noticing how his mother was slightly shaking from the answers. So he put an arm around her for comfort.

"Because I...It was the right thing to do, let her go to Rumpelstiltskin. Letting her stay with him...Be with him...I set her free. I had to. I thought she would've come back, but when she supposedly stayed...I didn't know what she was thinking. So I ran, like the coward I am. And though I want it, I know she won't take me back because I ruined such a beautiful thing. I ruined us."

"She has to. I'm proof of that, you know?"

"Kid, I didn't even know you existed. Hell, I'm still not sure I believe all of this. But...I'm sure if I don't it'll bite me in the ass later. And that's the last thing I need on my conscience. I mean, think about it! I never thought I'd have a child. And not only that, but with Belle French of all people! Anyone! Tell me you were Regina Mills' son, and I probably wouldn't have as hard of a time believing you. Hey, don't give me that look, it was an example."

When the look of disgust on his face subsided, the air was quiet for a moment, a calm before the apparent storm.

"I have a question for you. And...I guess...I know it'll be hard for you to answer, but...I'd really care to know."

Ruby couldn't help but feel her heart race as she guessed what was coming next. Nodding her head, tears springing to her eyes, she stared away for a moment, taking a breath.

"Why is my middle name Peter?"

Quiet.

There wasn't a hint of movement in the small town. Only darkness, save for a few streetlights.

He didn't even know she was going to speak until the intake of breath was heard in the air.

"It's beautiful, you know? The snow when it falls in a forest. The trees have little to no life on them, but it's almost a pristine white."

He didn't understand her intent for explaining this, but he didn't show anything but comfort in his eyes.

No sympathy.

No questioning look.

Only comfort.

"The animals hide because of the weather. They know death is easy for them if they stay where they are. But...There's...Um...There was one animal that did not care about the strength of the weather. And...it didn't matter if you were a rabbit or deer...human or animal...weak or strong...It killed. And no one could kill it.

..I...I was in love. His name was Peter, and...Well, Granny never really liked him; which was why I was always so eager to see him when he came by our cottage. We were amazing friends growing up. One day, I guess it became more than that and... I had loved him ever since. So, um...Snow White and I found wolf tracks one day, tracks that turned to human feet the closer they came to their destination. They had lead to my house, in the window where Peter usually waited outside for me previous nights before."

_Stop_.

"...I thought...Maybe it was him. I had to tell him...I had to let him know he was doing this. Because he wouldn't want to hurt anyone. He was kind, and sweet, and he loved the woods more than anyone else I had ever known at that point...I told him the truth. I told him he was the wolf. At first, he didn't believe me...At first, he thought I was crazy...But..."

_Stop_.

"...But I had to protect him. Because at that time, I believed I could protect anyone. And, I finally pleaded with him to accept the truth, which he did. So, we devised a plan...That he would bind himself the next full moon to prevent himself from harming anyone. He was always concerned about the safety of others, especially my own. So of course he didn't want me helping him at first...But I pushed on and agreed to...to chain him up. To stay with him until the full moon fell.

_Stop it...Don't..._

"...I would've stayed with him forever if it meant doing so," she wiped the tears from her eyes, but it didn't help; the ones that kept pushing through refused to be wiped away.

"..And then the full moon rose in the sky, and...It wasn't Peter who transformed...It wasn't gentle, loving, Peter bound by chains so he couldn't break free..."

_Red...Don't_.

A gasp in her throat as she erupted into painful sobs.

"..It was me..."

And after that, she couldn't hold it anymore, Lucas wrapping his arms around her tightly, unsure of when he had started crying himself.

He was sure it had been because of the turmoil he had seen his mother go through telling the story, or maybe it hit him why his parents refused to name him Peter. What it would've done to his mother, every day, having that name escape her lips.

And what it did to her now, knowing that she did have a child, that she did fall in love, that she lived her life.

But without the person she had wanted to originally live it with.

The person whose death she carried on her shoulders every day.

"I'm sorry, Ma...I'm sorry." He whispered into the cool night air, looking down to notice she had fallen asleep through her tears.

He didn't wake her. Just sat there for a good length of time still pondering the world he was in.

Until the sun started leaking over the horizon.

But by that time, Lucas already carried Ruby into her bed, watching her sleep.

It was the mother he had never truly known, a person who hadn't really given him the time of day since he started to grow up. She had her own demons to deal with, and the boy scolded himself for not being as understanding as he should have been towards her.

He was changing, and growing.

Realizing the boy he was yesterday wasn't the man he wanted to be.

So when he woke up the next morning, he knew there needed to be some changes he would make in order to redeem himself for the adult he would become.

And for a moment in time, it wasn't just Granny as his guardian anymore.

It was Peter, too.

* * *

"I was a young girl. And my father was extremely protective of me. My brothers were too, but not as much as my father. When they found out a wolf was terrorizing the village, they decided to hunt it. To this very day, I know in my heart that the man would do anything to keep his child safe."

Granny sat down in an empty chair in the Library across from Lucas, Belle handing her a cup of warm tea.

"The wolf was powerful. Stronger than any man who stood before it. And I watched as my father and brothers fell to the strength of the beast. I wanted to go to them, to cry out to them, and hold them in my arms. But I suppose I had tried my best to stay safe, on the rooftop of our home, but I had tripped, and fell off..."

Taking a sip of her tea, the elder woman took a deep breath.

"...right in front of the wolf itself. I stared it in the eyes, knowing my impending death was upon me. But as it went to strike a blow, I raised my arm in defense, and it struck me...Here. The wolf ran away, and I never saw it again after that."

She pulled her sleeve back to reveal signs of a very old scar.

"Little did I know, its mark would turn me into a beast too, and I had to learn to live with the curse. But the worst thing was becoming the very creature that had murdered my family...That's...It's hard to live with...

...Time went on, and I met this young man in the village who had moved there not two summers before. He was very handsome, and I was very much intrigued."

"Granny! Gross!" Lucas made a face, and the woman slapped him upside the head.

"You asked, and I'm telling you, so stay quiet and listen."

Belle giggled at the interaction of her son and his great-grandmother.

"I had never really cared about the scar at all. So I guess I wore it as a symbol of life. I had survived an attack from the wolf, where my family had not. One night, when I was out with the young man, his name was James, he noticed the scar and instantly became curious. I told him the story, and he excused himself from my presence. I wasn't stupid, so I followed him, only to see him starting to nervously sweat...

...I didn't understand why this man was acting this way. I wondered what I had done. Or did he hear the story about the wolf, and know something I didn't? Did he know about me? I approached him, and he actually snarled at me! Like a wolf would! He tried to hide things about himself, brushing off the snarl...but...Somehow, I knew. He told me the truth, about how he was a shape-shifter, and how he was the one who had marked me all those years ago...

...I asked him why he killed my family, and he explained how part of his human side was lost when he turned into the beast. He proclaimed we could have a family of our own, and well..I guess the rest is history."

"So you had children after that?" Belle asked, curious to hear a bit more of the story, more about Ruby's life.

"Yes. We had one daughter. Her name was Anita, and she was Red's-erm, Ruby's mother, bless her soul."

"She died?" the boy curiously chimed in.

"Yes, a long time ago."

"How?"

"That's...Lucas, there are some stories in this world that you shouldn't hear, even from those who they happened to. We all have ghosts in our past, and we all have things we try to hide, especially from those we love. I know my granddaughter, your mother, from your time has hidden unspeakable things from you, but...There's always a reason."

"I just wish she wouldn't treat me like I were a child all the time. I'm...I'm sixteen, I'm much more than some stupid teenager."

"Your mother doesn't think you're a stupid teenager. I know she thinks the world of you. This...What this is...What she has, it's more than what you think. It's a terrible burden that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. And luckily she knows how to control it, because if she didn't...Well, we'd be in trouble during those full moon nights, you know."

Lucas' eyes shot up to stare into Granny's own, then his mother's.

"She's right you know. Lucas, you've only been in our lives for nearly a week now, but that doesn't mean we don't care about you already. I suppose there will be a time where you have to go back and when you do...Well, I'll miss you. And the experiences we've had together."

"There is one thing I have to ask you, boy." And with that, he suddenly became nervous, nodding his head.

"Tell me about this girl..This..Charlotte. You keep telling everyone she's not your girlfriend, and maybe she's not. But..Don't fool around with things your heart may be feeling. To care about someone like that is a wonderful thing, and you shouldn't hide it."

"All...All right. I'll tell you a bit about her. She's really not my girlfriend. But...Yes, I do care about her. Her parents are Emma and Regina Swan-Mills, and...I'm a year older than her. It was Ma's idea to have us hang out as children, wanting us to be close like she and Emma were growing up. And I guess...I guess as I started to get older, I realized that I liked her. Everything about her. At first, the only one who approved of it was you, Mom. And after a bit of persuasion...It was Ma too..."

Granny smiled as the boy became more and more flustered over the prospect of being with the girl.

"I...I've found her, but I have to keep my distance..I know its her birthday, and I put a card for her next to these bouquet of roses her sister was surprising her with. I know she probably didn't even recognize or get the card for that matter...But..."

"So you really did come back for her? Why?"

"Charlotte told me about where she had to go. And I swore I wouldn't tell anyone. Though I still wanted to protect her. I begged, literally begged Mrs. Swan-Mills to send me back to where she sent Charlotte. She must have trusted me, because I wouldn't be here without magic."

"Well, you know you have a place to stay at the B&B, Lucas. Don't worry. When it's time for you to leave, then we will worry about it. Now, why don't you finish working? I need to get back to the Diner to check on Ruby."

When the boy left, Granny walked off with Belle, out of earshot.

"So you've accepted it then? That Lucas is your son?"

"It sounds very strange, but I know it in my heart that he's mine..."

"And Ruby's."

"Granny, please."

"Belle, you can't just ignore the fact that your son's other parent just so happens to be my granddaughter. It doesn't matter if you're with Gold or not."

"But now that I know this? Now that I have this information, what if I don't want it? What if I want to stay with him?"

"Then follow your heart. You know how Ruby feels. You know she will always love you. The fact that you're together in the boy's time confirms it. But if you feel the same way? Don't run from it because you feel as if you have to be with him. Then that's not love. That's an excuse to walk away from your problems, and I really, really doubt that's the kind of person Belle French really is, hmm?"

The brunette gazed at the floor, tears threatening her eyes.

"Hey, I'm not trying to force you to be with someone you don't want to be with...But...Can you ignore it? Can you ignore the way you feel when you're around either one of them? And who has the stronger pull? Who do you feel right with, Belle? Because that's really all that matters."

And with that, the elder woman grabbed the cookbook she had checked out, and left, leaving the Librarian with her own thoughts.

It wasn't that she didn't love Ruby, she did.

It was the remaining fact that not only did the waitress betray her trust, and then leave her when she pleaded for the woman to stay...

But she also loved someone else.

Someone who had been there for her when she had no one. Someone who she knew had the exact same feelings for her as well.

There was a conversation she had with the man once, something that had given her a different perspective on a similar experience through both people she cared for.

_"If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?" she whispered to the man who had claimed her his captive.._

_"Or perhaps...perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses?" he slyly smirked, all trust in her completely eradicated; his prisoner would know nothing of him._

_"You're not a monster..." Kindness etched in her features, something he had never experienced before. Could he really lower his walls for her?_

And in a different time...

_It's not everyday you find out your friend is..." Searching for the right word to say, Belle stared at the woman for a moment before being interrupted._

_"A monster?..." Ruby's face looked dark and grim as she stared at the ground, ashamed for the curse that had ran through her veins, a portion of who she was, and how she felt about herself._

_The Librarian finally found the word she was looking for, an look of understanding given to the woman. She knew at that point that Ruby was only interested in protecting her, by blocking out the relationship she had with her friend to assure that. "No...hunted."_

They were both very similar, the two people she loved.

Both had desperately tried to protect her by means of locking her away, yet only one had shown her more trust, and more kindness, more understanding in her gaze.

She had been thinking about it over a period of time, who would be more suitable for her.

And every time she had thought that man was the one for her, he was quickly shot down when thoughts of the waitress plagued her brain.

A smile grazed upon her lips as the idea of being with Gold was replaced with a memory she had held dear to her. A moment when the waitress explained new food to her as if it were an art. And she never forced her to do anything she didn't want to.

And through glances and rapid heartbeats, through smiles and embraces, Belle was sure she wasn't the only one who noticed how close they had gotten to each other.

She was sure Rumpel did too.

* * *

Closing time had always seemed like a reprieve from torture for the waitress.

Sometimes Granny had opted to close, something she had always appreciated when the full moon decided to call out to her inhuman side.

But over the course of the past few days, she had let the elder woman rest, assuring her closing was not a big deal, opting to change it for her opening positions; she would even get some of the prep work done so it would be easier for her grandmother in the morning.

There was a new change in Ruby.

She could feel it.

And she was sure others could see it.

A protective aura wavered, and in its place was something of strength and love.

Her son had managed to teach her that.

The one she still was slightly on edge about believing, but for now he was her son.

The thought of the boy wasn't something she should've been pondering during her time at work, and so she continued to clean the floor, knowing some time during the night an idiot would make their way to the entrance and wonder if they were still open.

So when the door to the Diner opened (which was strange, because she knew she locked it), the woman muttered "we're closed" without even bothering to look up.

"Oh, but I'm here to pick up my order," a voice echoed throughout the Diner, making the hairs on the back of the woman's neck stand up.

"So, Mr. Gold, you're the mysterious person whose food gets left on the counter after closing time?"

"Of course, Dearie. Granny usually is the one here, so she lets me pick it up whenever."

Holding the broom she had been sweeping with a little tighter, eyes flashing yellow, the waitress growled softly.

"That's bull, and you know it. Granny closes, but she's never here too late. So why are you here?"

In a flash, his hand went up, lifting Ruby off of the ground, dangling her in the air, watching as her hands clawed at her neck; the circulation being cut off rather quickly.

"Stay away from _my_ woman. I send her away, I _let_ her run a library in this stupid town, and look at what she does. I could swear I saw a flea on her. But don't worry, she won't be lying with a dog any more, Miss Lucas," he seethed, and dropped her to the floor.

Ruby coughed, holding her throat, muttering something under her breath.

"What was that?" He asked, a sly smile on his face.

"She's...not...your...woman! She's...free...to do...what she wants...And..She's _not_ your...True-"

"Ah, ah, ah, don't finish that sentence, Dearie, or I'll snap your neck where you sit. In fact..."

He waved his hand, binding her hands behind her back, her mouth taped shut.

"I think I'll take you with me. If you think for a second that she'll pick you over me, then you're wrong. But of course, you won't be able to see that, now will you."

And in a flash of purple smoke, they were both gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N- Yay! I'm finally getting reviews and followers! Which is awesome, because this is a RedBeauty story! For all you SwanQueen people out there, be sure to check out Who You Are, I feel like it's something else I can say is a pretty good piece of work. Anyways, here's chapter 6! Please let me know what you think! Also, another shout out to all the reviewers, followers, and favorites for this story. I couldn't do it without your guys' support. So thank you all!**

**NOTE- This chapter is a T+ for sexual themes. If you wanna skip them, it's in the flashback at the bottom, middle section. Though I don't think you should override the flashback itself, since I think it's kinda cute, personally :) (there's also showing of a less stern Ruby. See, I can do less angst!)**

A loud groan was heard, it echoed off of the walls and hit the captor right back in her sensitive ears.

"Hello?" She groggily called out, taking a while to adjust her eyes to the darkness.

Chains made of silver singed into her wrists, making her cry out in pain.

She could taste blood on her lips.

Why was she here?

And then, in a flash, it all came rushing back to her.

The diner.

The fight.

The taunting.

Gold.

At that moment, the man opened the door, limping inside while turning on a light staged on the ceiling in the middle of the room.

"Miss Lucas, nice to see you awake."

She went to lunge at him, but let out a shout of pain when her wrists collided with the chains.

"Ah, ah, don't do that Dearie. Wouldn't want you to bleed out now, I need to keep you alive."

"What do you want, Gold?" Ruby spat, wishing she were able to break free, to kill the man who had captured her.

"Isn't it obvious? I've warned you, wolf, to stay away from Belle. And yet you continue to make your way into her life! You have to ruin my happiness. You think she doesn't love me? Were you there? Did you see what we had for each other? Twenty-eight years and I'm kept from her. Now you want to be the _second_ person to take that away?"

"She doesn't belong to you!" the woman challenged. "She's not your damn property! She's chosen her own path, and I don't care if its me or someone else! As long as they treat her better than the way you have!"

A sly grin made its way to the man's lips.

"Oh, you think I've been treating her badly? Just you wait, you're about to treat her a lot worse."

"If you even think you can get me to do anything to her, then you're wrong! I will never hurt Belle! And for the record, I love her!"

As he walked over to her weakened form, gaze filled with rage, Ruby was sure Gold was going to smack her with all his might, or kill her.

But he leaned down, whispering something in her ear that made the woman's eyes widen.

"You can't...You can't do that!"

"Watch me." He muttered, and walked out, slamming the door.

Though he knew her cries were loud, more howls than anything, it couldn't penetrate the soundproof walls surrounding her.

"Don't worry, Belle. That wolf won't bother you anymore, I'll make sure of that."

A Cheshire grin in the darkness.

* * *

It had been almost three hours before the door slightly opened, a teenage boy embarrassingly walking inside.

"You're here awfully late," Belle slightly scolded Lucas, knowing he should only have been two places at very specific times.

If anyone noticed a resemblance to any of his family, they were all in serious trouble.

"I'm sorry. Usually Ma comes in and tells me to "get my ass up", but she wasn't there today. Granny said she probably ran out to clear her thoughts, because of the Full Moon approaching. She said it not to worry, she should be back soon."

"That reminds me, you've been so worried the past few days over this werewolf thing. Are you nervous?" She wondered out loud, watching the boy shake his head.

"Yeah. I mean, I doubt it sometimes because Granny told me Ma was thirteen when it happened. I'm sixteen now, so I'm sure that there's really nothing to worry about. It should've happened already."

"I don't know much about that side of you, Lucas, so you'll have to ask Ruby what she thinks," the woman placed a comforting hand on her son's arm.

"But you do know about the curse. In my time, anyway. You do so much for her...I guess...I guess I didn't realize it until now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, every month Ma left, she'd always say it had something to do with the Diner. You know, like getting supplies or something like that. I never put two and two together, the fact she always left when the moon was full. Sometimes you'd leave too, and wouldn't come back until early that morning. I wasn't home for most of the time, so I guess it really didn't sink in what was going on."

"So we managed to keep this a secret from you? You never suspected your mother could be a werewolf?" Belle confusingly stared at the boy.

It didn't seem like something that was hard to comprehend. Anyone who knew of the real Ruby, who knew Red, could easily tell she wasn't a normal human.

"To be honest, there's really not much I knew about my mom until now. It's...It's you who I'm really close with. I...I tell you everything. In my time, you love me so much."

"We really are close, aren't we?"

"Yes. I told you before, you helped me with asking Charlotte to the dance. You've helped me throughout my whole life. And you also stood up for me because well...I used to get picked on."

His face flared red, as the glance from his parent soon became protective.

"What do you mean you used to get picked on?"

"I mean...Everyone else always brags about their parents. Look at Thomas II, Ms. Ashley's son. Or Ping, Mulan and Aurora's son. And who can forget Kathryn and Frederick's perfect daughter, Brittany. They used to tease me how my parents were nothing. A waitress and a Librarian. Nothing like a King and Queen. Or a warrior."

"Did you know I was a princess back in my time?" Belle spoke up, watching as her son's face broke into a smile and nod.

"Yeah, you told me. I didn't care anyway. It didn't matter, because you both are my parents, royalty or not."

Another pained silence wisped through the air.

"So, what did I tell you when you wanted to ask this girl to the dance?" Belle asked, curiosity reaching her once more.

"Well...I...I didn't want to at first. I was scared...You know, deathly afraid...I thought she was going to say no, and probably slap me in the face-"

"I don't understand why. You're a very, very handsome young man, Lucas."

"Thanks, Mom. I admitted my feelings to her...To you. I think you already knew, though. And...I went for it. Ma was so pissed when she found out."

"Why?"

"Because she's Regina's daughter. And for some reason, I guess she could never let go of the anger she had against her. You always say she changed. That she's more stern now. I wonder what made her that way...You know...Less carefree."

"She wasn't like that when you were growing up?"

"No, she was...But I've heard you before...You've made comments that maybe...maybe she wasn't always like this."

"Maybe...Maybe she just needed to stop and realize that you needed a parent, instead of her worrying about her own feelings. Ruby is like that, she thinks about what is best for everyone else, even if the outcome results in her hurting herself."

With a nod, the boy went back to work, his mind on other things besides the past.

Something Belle had mentioned a few days prior bothered him; a thought he couldn't quite let go of just yet...

* * *

They had been stocking books for a while now, cleaning shelves, and even beginning to lay out tarp to repaint the place.

All the while, there were no words spoken between them.

Which, to the Librarian, was strange.

Weren't they supposed to be close?

Letting out a sigh of relief after stocking the last shelf in the children's section, Belle noticed the look of worry upon her son, wondering what it was that made him look so upset when they were fine not too long ago.

She managed to walk towards him, her eyes never leaving his face; noticing the way his lips fell into a frown, or how his eyes couldn't move up from that one spot on the ground he was focused on.

When she neared, he turned away from her, making sure she didn't see the upset look upon his features.

"What's wrong?" Belle sensed the tension between them, resting a hand on his shoulder to comfort her son.

"I'm afraid, you know? Not just about the wolf, but...About you."

"Lucas, what-"

"I know you love Mr. Gold. I know he's your True Love, or whatever. But...what will happen to me? Will I disappear? I know _my parents_ get together, hell, I'm proof of it! But sometimes I wonder if I screwed everything up by coming here."

"You came here to protect someone that means the world to you. I don't think you messed anything up. What happened between your mother and I changed things...I love her, Lucas. I really, really do. But sometimes...She pushes people away to protect them, because there was something she cared about that she couldn't protect herself..."

_Peter..._

"And...That changed what we had. Cheer up. Nothing will happen to you, no matter what the outcome is. We both care about you. Even though Ruby is very hard-headed, she's sweet, and she's...well, she's something new after a life of complete solitude. Do you know about that?"

"Somewhat," Lucas nodded his head, but gazed with intent to hear what his mother had to say.

"I was...Well, I had been captured for so long, by Regina in fact, that I didn't know much about the world around me. No one really cared to hear what I had to say. So when this strange man released me from this prison...I...I came across this weird looking place for food."

"The Diner?"

"Yes, and when I sat down, confused about the world around me, this woman came forward and offered me a drink. And she managed to teach me about different foods. And..She offered me a place to stay. No one had ever done something like that for me before. To some, it might've looked like a friendly conversation, but the way she glanced at me..."

Belle paused, a blush evident on her cheeks as her son stared intently at her, a small smirk on his lips.

"But yes, after that...I..I thought about us being together. I thought about the freedom and the security your mother could provide for me. And then the full moon approached. I wanted to stay with her, Lucas. I wanted to protect her from the evils of the world. But she locked me up, just like Rumple had. Just like Regina did. It was as if she were one of them, a villain in disguise trying to persuade me with her kindness. I can't find it to forgive her after that. I just can't."

The boy nodded his head, but before turning to organize some books in the corner, he gazed into his mother's eyes.

"But...somewhere, somehow...You do."

And with that, the conversation halted, Belle feeling uncomfortable just talking about the situation.

For a moment, she remembered this feeling all too well, when she became Rumpelstiltskin's prisoner, unable to choose the outcome of her own life.

Part of her felt pushed, rushed by all those around her.

First Lucas, then Granny.

And weirdly enough, it was everyone else doing it _but_ Ruby.

* * *

It had been about two days since the boy had seen his mother.

So when he glanced at her in the crowd, he ran over to her, excitement splayed across his face.

"Ma! Hey!" Ruby turned around to face Lucas, a confusing look adorning her features.

"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else."

"What? Mom, it's me, Lucas, your son. What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you shouting like that. You have to keep more discreet you know? Do you want Gold to find out about you?"

"You're right. Granny said you went out for a run because of the Full Moon. Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine, boy. I just needed to clear my head. Where's...Belle?" Her eyes glanced at her son, taking in everything about his features.

How similar they looked. And his eyes...

His very familiar eyes...

"At the Library. What's up? You're looking at me kind of...Weirdly.."

"Nothing, you just...You look a lot like me, but your eyes..."

"Yeah, I know, you said that already. Everyone knows I have Mom's eyes. C'mon, is this a test or something? Because you're acting really strange."

"I'm sorry, boy. It's just...I've been through a lot. The moon puts a strain on me, you know that," she quickly apologized, draping an arm around her son.

"I guess...Like I told you, you're very secretive, you know. C'mon. Lets go see Mom."

Cursing under her breath, the waitress followed her son to the Library, shaking her head as she resumed her deep thoughts along the way.

"Belle..." The taller woman rushed into the Librarian's arms, a strong grip around a lithe body.

"Ruby, what's going on? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine! The kid already asked that. I just...I'm happy to see you is all."

And that's when she truly saw it.

The boy stood next to his mother, both their eyes glanced up at the brunette.

"You...You may say that you look like me, boy, but I think you look like your mother."

"You really think Lucas looks like me? Aside from the eyes, I don't think that..." But when she saw Ruby shake her head, she grinned, a thought coming to her mind.

"You know, Granny isn't looking for you for the next few days...Why don't you...Stay for dinner?"

"I...I would love to, Belle."

"Hey, yeah, it would do me well to see some normalcy around here." Lucas muttered, ignoring the slightly playful glare his mother shot at him, going into the back room to clear a table full of books so they could sit together as a family.

"How about I surprise you with some takeout tonight? I'll buy the food, don't you worry about it. What do you normally like to eat?"

"Surprise me. I'm good with anything, _Dearie_."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Belle asked, unable to hear the last few words, but something she thought the woman had said sent a prickly feeling through her spine.

"I said anything is fine. I trust you." And with that, she leaned over to place a kiss upon the Librarian's cheek.

_Don't you worry, Belle...These confusing feelings? You won't be having them for long._

* * *

_Fifteen years ago..._

_"Ruby Lucas, get your butt over here now, and help me!" the shouting splayed across the house, and it nearly burned a hole in the wolf girl's ears._

_"Why me? This was not my idea, it was 100% yours!" _

_"Your best friend wanted a night out with her wife, something she hasn't gotten since her daughter was born. And I thought it might be a nice gesture for both Emma and Regina, now help me change your son and Charlotte so we can put them to bed!"_

_"Why is he my son when he's soiled himself, and yours when he makes that cute baby face?"_

_She didn't need to have wolf hearing to know there was a grunt of annoyance in her lover's tone._

_"Ruby, he's a baby, he's always going to have a cute baby face." And under her breath, where the wolf almost, almost didn't hear her, she muttered "that's why he's my son." _

_Oooh boy. Here we go..._

_The wolf sullenly walked towards the brunette with a soft frown adorning her features. _

_"We never have any time alone either, you know?"_

_"I know you're upset, but don't worry. Once we put them to bed, maybe we can have a movie night of our own? Hmm?" the shorter woman leaned over to kiss her wife, placing a new diaper in the taller woman's hands._

_"Now, change your son so we can put these two to bed."_

_When Belle walked off with baby Charlotte in her arms, Ruby playfully glared at the giggling brunette with his mother's blue eyes._

_"You do know this is your fault, don't you? I'm going to hang out with your mom after getting my hands wrist deep in baby crap. That's ok though, at least it'll please the ridiculously beautiful woman. But between you and me, I think that Charlotte girl likes you._

_...you better be careful because apparently word on the street is Regina Mills is her mother. I'm not telling you to woo her mom or anything, but if she's going to be your mother-in-law then you better come up with something good, kid!"_

_She softly chuckled as her son cooed, knowing he didn't have an idea as to what she was saying._

_"I mean, who am I to know about the qualms of baby love, but watch it kid. She's going to be a looker when she grows up. Beat up all the guys who try to come after her. Make mama proud, all right? And Granny too. I know she's getting up there in her age, but...she loves you and wants the best for you. Hey, you wanna hear a funny story?" _

_After getting the diaper on the child, Ruby cradled her son in her arms._

_"Apparently the way to get married is to chain a girl up overnight in a library when you think you're better off getting killed by some frightened townsfolk. No! Really! This totally works. And if you don't believe me, ask your Mom. She's the one who married me after all." _

_The brunette's head shot up when she heard a soft chuckling sound in the doorway._

_"Ruby, what are you doing?" _

_"I'm...um...giving our son tips on how to woo this girl he has a crush on." _

_"You're going to put ideas in his head, and he's not even a year old. C'mon, lets get him in bed before you corrupt our son prior to his teenage years."_

_When the two infants were asleep in their cribs (Charlotte's conjured up by Regina's magic), Belle took her wife's hand, leading her downstairs to the couch._

_"So, movie night?" _

_"I was thinking instead, maybe something a little more hands on?" The wolf grinned, and when the blue eyed beauty leaned to place a peck upon her lips, it only made her heart beat rapidly inside her chest._

_"You are such a carefree spirit, Ruby. Please don't ever lose that about you. I have seen so many people become swallowed up by a darkness they can't control...I don't want to lose you either."_

_She only perceived it as Belle being worried for her safety with Rumple, but when she saw evident tears in her lover's eyes, the werewolf placed her thumb on a wet cheek, wiping her tears away._

_"I...Belle, where did that come from? I...I don't think I'll lose myself. Look, what happened those years ago, I did that to protect you. And I was wrong, because I didn't know what you had gone through for twenty-eight years. I do blame myself, but why worry about it? We are here, married, with a beautiful son. I don't think there's anything that will change who I am as a person, or the way I feel about you."_

_But the woman didn't know the future she would have to endure._

_She didn't realize how much losing her grandmother would change her into a person sent out to protect, instead of truly care how her attitude was affecting everyone around her._

_She had no idea the secrets and lies she would hold from her son, the boy who craved for her attention to no possible end; the child she had held not a few moments ago that she'd eventually look at with pain in her eyes._

_Her gaze ventured to the rings on both of their fingers, and the promises they had made to each other. _

_"I love you..." Belle whispered, cupping Ruby's cheek as she leaned in for another kiss._

_It was soft, sweet, holding the gentleness of the woman who had once feared and abstained away from affection._

_The wolf woman took her sweet time in moving them down upon the couch, Belle's back hitting the cushions as their kissing resumed, becoming more and more heated in its wake. _

_Soft hands eagerly pushed off a black jacket, then moved upwards to tangle in hair that still had very faint tints of streaked red._

_"Ruby...I...I need you..." A soft moan escaped the lips of the shorter woman, her hands raking up the brunette's back, a shiver erupting from the taller woman hovered over her. _

_A hand that was resting on the Librarian's side slowly made its way under the bright blue dress, disappearing under the fabric to caress sensitivity through sodden panties. _

_Ruby's mouth gasped upon the nape of Belle's neck, biting down a tad too roughly, causing another pleased moan from her lover's lips._

_Feeling her wife's arousal, seeing it in those deep blue eyes was always enough to bring forth a pleasurable feeling in between Ruby's legs._

_"No..." Came the groan from the shorter woman, making the wolf hault her ministrations completely, a frown placing itself upon her features._

_"What? But I thought..."_

_The waitress' thoughts were interrupted as a disheveled Belle leaned up to push her lover backwards, now climbing atop her._

_"You thought wrong this time, Mrs. French." And with that, another heated kiss was planted upon her wife's lips._

_It had happened not twenty minutes later, strong hands gripping wavy brown hair, a loud sigh escaping trembling lips, and green eyes trying to stay open to watch her lover nestled between her legs._

_"Belle!" Came the loud cry. The tenderness of the way the woman made love was enough to send Ruby over the edge._

_But at that moment the wolf managed to reach the peak of her desires, the noise of a car pulling up the driveway made both women stare at each other with a nervous gleam in their eyes._

_"You don't think that's..." The Librarian's eyes glanced at the clock, and she gasped, pulling Ruby and their clothes into the nearest bathroom where they hastily began to change._

_There was a rapping on the door, and the waitress peeked her head out of the bathroom to see none other than Emma Swan-Mills and a seemingly tense Regina._

_"Coming! Hang on a minute!"_

_"Hey Ruby," Emma smiled, walking inside the house, her long, blue dress surprising the wolf woman for the second time that night._

_She had never seen her friend in something so elegant. And the birth of Charlotte hadn't made going out any easier._

_"Where is my baby girl, Mrs. French?" Regina asked, taking a seat upon the couch, something that would've made Ruby laugh, if it weren't Regina._

_"She's upstairs, sleeping. For the hundredth time, Madame Mayor, it's Ruby! I don't go around calling you the Evil Queen!"_

_"Ruby French!" The way Belle shouted at her made it seem like she were a parent talking to some troubled child._

_"Well it's true. Anyways, did you both have a nice night?"_

_The blonde nodded her head, grabbing a beer from the fridge."Yeah, it started out pretty well actually. There was an incident with our waiter and Regina threatening to possibly murder him while insulting his intelligence. It was sweet...In a well...Possessive kind of way."_

_Now it was Regina's turn to feel like she were in trouble. So she bit back with some words of her own._

_"Emma Swan-Mills, may I remind you that there is no reason anyone should be staring at you for that long in time. And if he tried to glance down at your cleavage like I knew he was trying to do, I would've singed his eyeballs out of their sockets and fed them to him forcefully."_

_"Which is all the more reason I love you. So, shall we grab our daughter and get going?" _

_When both women and their daughter finally left, Ruby let out a loud laugh she was unable to contain. _

_Belle didn't know what the sudden outburst was until she stared at her wife._

_"She sat on the couch, didn't she?"_

_"Yup!" _

_When the laughter died down, both women headed off to bed._

_Belle was sure Ruby would never drift from who she was. _

_That she'd always be the woman the Librarian fell in love with._

_But something would change her, proving Belle to be very wrong._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N- So I know it's been a bit (for me anyway) since I've posted, and for that I apologize. School and work have been in the way extremely fiercely, and I'm typing everything with extreme lack of sleep. But I love you all and I want you guys to know that I'll do it for you :D This chapter is dedicated to someone who wanted to see something happen to Lucas since the dawn of the story. You know who you are. Yes, it's you, stop wondering ;) Enjoy guys! And as always, rate and review! **

**PS- Don't forget to check out my SwanQueen story, Who You Are. It's awesome, just like you guys!**

* * *

_"Ruby, stop!" _

_She heard the call of the woman she loved, but the voice passed right through her as if she couldn't hear._

_And in reality, she really could not hear._

_Her heart was pounding in her chest, eyes watering, and bile in her throat ready to spill out at any moment._

_The hospital._

_Where the fuck was the hospital?!_

_Her human body seemed to carry her faster than it ever had at wolfstime, long legs nearly leaping in the air as she ran._

_She was nearly there, almost to that front door when she collided with none other than Emma Swan._

_"Let me go!" The woman roared, her body still moving despite the strong grip that held her._

_"No! Ruby, you made me promise to make sure you didn't see her when it happened! You told me you didn't want this in your head for the rest of your life! So stop!" _

_The wolf stood frozen for a moment; in one swift move she leaned back and punched the blonde square in the jaw._

_"You don't understand! She's the only family I have!" The woman sprinted past the fallen Sheriff, rushing through the hospital doors._

_Belle ran towards Emma, shock evident in her eyes as well as tears._

_"I...I'm sorry, Emma, I know...I know she didn't mean to do that..."_

_"It's all right, Belle...She didn't mean what she said either. You and Lucas are her family. But Ruby has been alone for a long time...I guess she had forgotten what it felt like to have more than one person care for her."_

_"I know...Sometimes it's hard to hear, though."_

_"Go comfort her, she needs you now. I'll be all right. I need to convince Regina not to kill my best friend when she sees how hard that woman can actually punch."_

_Belle nodded, walking inside the hospital, searching for her wife. Regina had agreed to watch the children while her wife and friend went out to look for the disheveled wolf._

_Her eyes locked on to a particular name card next to a door reading Eugenia Lucas._

_She watched from the window as Ruby sat next to the makeshift hospital bed, her eyes bursting with tears as she held her grandmother's hand._

_She didn't even look up when Belle entered the room._

_"They said...They said you collapsed. That your heart...Gave out...I'm so sorry, Granny. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me. _

_I've been nothing but trouble all these years, and...I took what we had for granted. I couldn't protect Peter, and now...I failed to protect you."_

_The older woman's eyes opened, her hand slowly reaching for her granddaughter, settling on Ruby's cheek. _

_The brunette was overcome with joy that her grandmother had awakened, but she calmed down when the woman started to speak._

_"I want you to know...You have always been...like a daughter to me...And I am so proud of you...You finally have it, Ruby...You finally have a family...Don't let that go...Tell Lucas I'll..Protect him through anything...And...when the time is right, give him my ring...It will keep him safe. Do not mourn, Ruby...It's only a part of life. Stay strong through anything...You are much more than...what people see you as...Much more than...just a wolf...And I'll always love you, Ruby...I'll always-"_

_Ruby didn't even hear the heart monitor flatline. _

_She held the cold hand of the woman who had raised her since she were a baby._

_And for the first time in her life, she wanted the wolf to come out._

_To do nothing but run. _

_Her eyes didn't even meet with Belle's on the way out of the hospital; her wife had apparently been crying, but she didn't care enough to do anything to console her._

_And for that one night, when Ruby walked outside and braced the cold spring air with only a crescent moon in the sky, she willed herself to transform, running out into the woods as fast as her wolven legs would take her._

_When she reached her destination, atop a mountain overlooking all of Storybrooke, the wolf let out a loud, desolate howl to the Heavens, letting Granny know how much the woman always meant to her._

_And how lost she felt without her._

* * *

_Four years later..._

_"I'm leaving again." Ruby was in their bedroom, packing her clothes to stay in the cabin she had built for when wolfstime approached._

_"I don't understand why? Everyone knows you're the werewolf, and most people don't even seem to care since you have such great control of it." Belle stood at the doorway, a curious gaze on her face as she watched her wife._

_Out of stress for the millionth time she had to explain, it caused Ruby to slam her suitcase closed._

_"I told you why. I'm not going to let our son be exposed to this! If he doesn't know what I am, then he won't be in danger."_

_"Ruby he's five years old, and what if he carries the gene too? What if he's-"_

_"Stop! He's normal! Lucas is going to grow up a normal child. He doesn't have this curse. He doesn't need to be plagued with it!" _

_"And you're not normal? Haven't you embraced who you are? What the hell is wrong with you? Are you going to spit on your grandmother's grave like that?"_

_Ruby quickly closed the gap between her and Belle, staring down at her wife with flashing yellow eyes._

_"Don't you ever talk about Granny...I would never do something like that!"_

_"What happened to you, Ruby?! Did you lie to me when you promised you wouldn't lose your heart? When you promised you'd never change? _

_You have changed, Ruby Lucas. You are nothing like the woman I fell in love with."_

_"My last name isn't Lucas anymore..." The wolf calmed down momentarily, her eyes flashing back to emerald green._

_"No, it is. And it will be until you can learn to control your anger and return back to who you really were. This isn't the person Granny raised. _

_This isn't the free spirit that warmed my heart years ago. You have truly become a monster, and it has nothing to do with the wolf. Get out."_

_"Belle, I'm...I'm sorry...I..."_

_But the woman who people thought to be nothing but a pushover finally stood her ground._

_"Get out! Until the day you change that disgusting person who has consumed your soul, you are not seeing me or Lucas again!"_

_Ruby grabbed her suitcase and walked to the door, but not before turning to Belle with tears in her eyes._

_"How could you understand what it's like to lose the only family you've ever had?" _

_Belle stood strong, gazing back into her wife's eyes._

_"You're wrong. I do understand. You know why? Because I was locked away for twenty-eight years with no one. And finally, when I had my slice of happiness, when I finally managed to have a secure family, the only family I've personally ever had, the woman I fell in love with ran away like a coward. Goodbye, Ruby. When you've finally figured it all out, when you can finally put this all past you, then you can come home. _

_But until then..."_

_She grabbed her wedding ring, taking it off and placing it in the pocket of the woman's jeans._

_"We are nothing anymore."_

_She slammed the front door closed, walking into Lucas' room to sit next to the child sleeping in his bed._

_She needed to be near her son to calm her tortured soul._

_"I will always love you. No matter what. She will be distant and cold, and you may not understand why she's like that, but I will be there to pick you up when you fall, and to show you the worlds that people fear visiting. I'll hold your hand when you feel scared, and I'll let you go when you want to be brave."_

_For a moment, tears clouded Belle's vision, dripping over onto Lucas' cheek when she leaned down to kiss his temple._

_"Mommy?" The boy yawned, stretching slightly and turning to look up at his mother._

_"Mommy, why are you crying?" He asked, the words escaping so innocently from a child's perspective._

_"Oh Lucas, I'm just...I'm crying because I'm happy you're my little boy." his smile melted her heart, and she was soon able to forget why she was upset in the first place._

_"Did you have a nice nap? We're going over to Charlotte's house to play today, don't forget!" It was no use being upset over someone who could just walk out of her life, True Love or not. _

_She had her son, and to Belle that's all that really mattered._

* * *

"How do you feel about him?" Ruby asked that afternoon, sitting across a table in the Library from Belle, munching on a sandwich from the Diner.

"Gold?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well I...I love him. He's been there for me throughout everything. I don't know what I would do without him."

"But are you in love with him? I mean, because there's always other alternatives..." Grabbing her hand, the waitress gave the other woman an award winning smile.

"Ruby, we talked about this...You...You know what happened. I mean..I'm so scared, knowing that things will happen again...What if you want to protect me, and lock me up again? How could I deal with that?" She had worded her sentences carefully to act as a test for the waitress to admit her feelings, so she could finally sort things out between the two of them.

It was time.

She knew what her heart wanted, and she wasn't going to run away anymore.

But what she didn't expect was the words that escaped the taller brunette's lips.

"I know that. I meant a curse. Regina could help with those doubts you're feeling about him. And then you wouldn't have to worry about your heart getting in the way, since you'll have exactly what you've wanted."

"What?"

"Yeah. You can get in sync with Gold. Look, Belle...I...I care about you. But I'm not going to wait forever on something as pointless as falling for you. I have to live my life, with or without you."

"Ruby, what are you talking about?" _I want to be with you._

"C'mon, you know what I'm saying. Go with Gold. He's right for you. He'll keep you in check. That's what you need, isn't it? You're always wandering off on him, and quite frankly I feel so bad for the guy. He needs you there and you just up and leave him."

"Ok, if this is a joke, it's not a very amusing one. Ruby, I'm sorry I've been overlooking our feelings towards each other, and that's not what I meant to do."

Ruby tapped her fingers on the desk, eyes moving so they were in sync with Belle's own.

"Do you really think I've ever felt anything towards you?"

"But what about...You kissed me.._You_ kissed _me_, Ruby Lucas!"

"I mean, yeah, I did. But...I thought it was because you wanted it. Heat of the moment. Wolfstime thing. Nothing more, nothing less."

The waitress showed no signs of remorse as the woman before her was on the verge of tears.

"Fine! You don't want to be together, that's all right. But if this is real, you need to go into the Diner and tell that boy that he's never going to exist. Because without you or I, Lucas will never be born."

"How do you know I want that kid anyway? He's been nothing but trouble, filling lies in your head that we're somehow supposed to be this magical couple. To be quite honest? I think he's full of shit."

Belle leaned over and slapped Ruby as hard as she could, the woman getting up from the table and pointing a finger towards the door through her tears.

"I never want to see you again. I'm making my choice on who I want to be with. Get out. If you think being cruel is a way to my heart, then you don't know me. I'm stronger now. I'm a mother, and I know I will be one."

"Tell Gold congratulations on his children, then. I'm sure you both will have plenty," Ruby sneered, getting up and walking off.

Belle was left in tears.

Lucas.

She had to find her son, her mother's intuition telling her something was terribly, terribly wrong.

* * *

Lucas was sitting on the bed in what Granny had dubbed to be his temporary room, fidgeting slightly.

"I don't know what's wrong with that girl. She says she can't show up for work because of how the wolf is making her feel. I would fire her, but you don't do that to family...Are you all right?"

"Huh?" The young man looked up, nodding his head, noticing how he was still shaking.

"No, you're not all right. You look like you're burning up..And of course Red is nowhere to be found, is she? Belle says she hasn't been to the library since you both saw her the other night, and I find that rather strange. Listen boy, I know you're not supposed to let anyone know you're here, but we are really short handed, and I could use an extra cook in the kitchen. Want to help?"

Lucas' eyes went wide, and his smile brightened as he ran over to his great-grandmother, hugging her tightly.

"Of course I would!"

"All right then. Shower, clean up, and dress. Here, I brought you these." She handed him a work uniform, a smile creeping up the corner of her lips as she saw his excitement.

"Your shift starts in thirty. Remember, Lucas, stay in that kitchen."

"Yes ma'am." He muttered, walking off to get changed, the twitching feeling still pulsing through his body.

* * *

How long had she been trapped there?

Did Belle even notice her gone?

Where did Gold go when he left?

The woman didn't even know what day it was, fear evident in her posture and eyes as she heard the cellar door open, footsteps descending upon the stairs.

A cane rapped against the ground, and a grin rose in the darkness.

"Well, well. Seems I've found out an interesting deal of information from your little family."

"What are you talking about?" Ruby glared, her stomach in knots as she tried her best to play stupid.

"Don't toy with me, girl. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Lucas, the boy. I should've known when you brought him into the Library.

Trying to protect him, are we? From who? Me? Regina? Or himself?"

"I don't know what you're talking about! The only person you saw was Peter!"

He angrily pulled open the door to the cell, grabbing his cane and smacking the woman across her stomach.

"Do not play stupid with me!"

When she fell, he picked the waitress up by her hair and laughed when a surprised look ghosted her face as a duplicate of herself was standing there.

"I don't love you anymore, Belle. You're not good enough for me. That brat can't be our son, he shouldn't even exist! Oh, I've done it, Miss Lucas. And I didn't have a second thought about breaking Belle's heart. Because as long as she's not a part of your petty life, then I don't have to worry about anything getting in the way of us being together. What could someone like you offer her? Nothing! You have nothing! You are a dangerous beast, a child, and you are not fit to be with someone like Belle!"

Transforming back into his own self, he cracked the cane against her arm, laughing as she let out a pained cry.

And then his rage took over briefly, and the cane came down again, and again, and again.

"Oh Miss Lucas, what a great deal your son has taught me." Rumpelstiltskin grinned as he leaned against the cage she was trapped in.

"You and I? We're going to take a trip. Come now, don't fight me...Oh that's right...You can't." He laughed as the woman groaned slightly before knocking out.

"Don't you worry...I'll take excellent care of Belle in your absence."

* * *

The shop had been closed for the night, Lucas still sweeping the floor in his mother's absence.

Everything was cleaned, the tables wiped down, the cabinets dusted. He'd make sure Granny would be pleased when she came in to work the next morning.

The only thing left was to take out the trash.

The cool night air hit him gently when he walked outside. But he didn't expect to hear a loud groaning noise coming from behind the dumpster.

"Who-? Ma!" He ran over to the woman, examining her wounds, looking at the burned flesh on her wrists from what seemed to be chains that had kept her captive.

"Ma, what happened to you?!"

But the woman's eyes quickly opened, placing her hands around her son's neck, an eerie smile resting against her lips.

The injured woman quickly vanished, and reappeared behind him as a different entity.

"I did, boy. I happened to her." Lucas turned around to face the man who always plagued his parents since before his existence.

"What did you do?" The snarl came forward and for a moment Gold jumped back, but not without a smirk.

"Ah, ah. Like mother, like son I presume? She's right here, don't worry." The older man snapped his fingers, and next to him appeared a bound

Ruby, her hands tied together, a collar around her neck.

There was caked blood on the side of her mouth and clothes.

"Follow me. I want to show you something. Don't, and I snap her neck, your choice. And don't think I won't, boy."

He watched as his mother was literally dragged by the collar, limping along the way, her tired feet unable to carry her unkempt form.

They had stopped near a sign that had read "Welcome to Storybrooke", something Lucas had yet to see in his hometown. The barrier was lifted where he was from, so he never knew of its presence.

"Lucas, stop!" The voice behind him was accented and sweet, and he quickly recognized it as his mother.

"Belle?" Gold's heart melted at the vision of the woman he loved.

But he hadn't suspected his apparent True Love to go against everything they had once shared together.

"What are you doing, Gold? Was it you that hurt Ruby? Did you do this to her?!"

He wouldn't let the blame be shifted, no, not when it was Miss Lucas' fault.

"I know about him!" He pointed an accusatory finger at Lucas.

"I know where he's from, and who he is! And I know how you feel about her!"

"What are you talking about..?"

"The other night, when you invited her for dinner, I learned everything! I was there! You love her, do you not?"

Belle was quiet, but she jumped when he shouted.

"Answer me! Do you love her?"

The Librarian paused for a moment, thinking about how she should answer the question, but the true claim slipped out.

"Yes...I love her."

He didn't expect that.

He had anticipated denial, or at least a confession of her love for him.

But not the words that had escaped from her lips.

"Fine. But...I don't think she loves you. Not when..." He smiled wildly, grabbing the chains that had still bound Ruby to him.

"Not when she won't remember you."

"No!" Belle shouted and Rumpelstiltskin pushed the woman over the town line, quickly pulling her back to him and throwing her body on the floor.

The actions before him caused Lucas' body to react, and he started screaming in pain.

The feelings on his body from before intensified and in a flash, with bones snapping, teeth elongating, and eyes flashing yellow, the boy transformed.

"So you're one of them too? Wonderful!" He laughed, and when Lucas lunged he striked the young wolf away with his cane.

"I'll be back, don't you worry. Looks like she's no threat to me anymore." And with that, he vanished away in a cloud of smoke.

Belle was holding an unconscious Ruby to her chest when she stared at her son, now a fully grown wolf.

"Lucas..." The wolf sniffed her, but did not recognize her in the transformed state, his lips pulling back into a snarl.

"Don't. Look at me...It's...Me...Your mother." Getting closer to the woman, the wolf gazed into blue eyes and whimpered as it backed away, running off into the streets of Storybrooke.

Belle cradled the waitress in her arms, crying into her chest.

Gold had tricked her.

Ruby really hadn't been the one to say the atrocious things that had escaped her lips earlier.

When the woman's eyes opened, the Librarian looked up, happiness etched on her features from her lover awakening.

"Ruby, you're all right...I thought...I thought Gold hurt you. That you really did lose your memory."

But the woman slowly sat up, groaning as she did so.

"Yeah...I'm Ruby...But...Who're you?"

* * *

_"Please! Regina, Please! I know something is wrong! We both do! You have to send me back to see him!"_

_The former Evil Queen gave Ruby a sympathetic look, but still retained her overall answer._

_"I can't, Ruby. I just sent Emma to get Charlotte, and I'm next. I have to be. I need to see her, to let her know I'm all right."_

_"And I know Lucas is in danger! I-"_

_A once sweet voice, now filled with worry, approached the pair of women, walking over to Regina in tears._

_"I'll go. Regina, I've forgiven you for what happened all those years ago. I don't care if you lock me up again...Please, let me see my son. He needs one of us. And...I know Ruby can take care of it, but...I want to go instead." the Librarian glanced beggingly at the older woman._

_The now wife and mother of three's heart melted, seeing a similar look in Emma's eyes once before, and she nodded her head, knowing Lucas needed someone there with him just as much as Charlotte did._

_But the wolf was adamant against her wife getting hurt. "Belle, I would never send you into anything dangerous, you know that."_

_The blue eyed beauty leaned on her toes to kiss her wife softly. "Times have changed, my love. And so have you. You don't need to throw your life away anymore. Have trust in those who say they will protect you. Stay here with Regina in case she needs anything. She's our way home, and you should be here for her to watch over her instead."_

_The woman didn't like the idea of her lover going to an unknown place where a crisis seemingly resided._

_But she had to learn to let go for their marriage to work, and with that, she nodded, her arms wrapping around her wife._

_"I love you."_

_"I love you too, Ruby."_

_Regina rolled her eyes, but not before chuckling softly. "All right, lovebirds, you're making me miss Emma even more. I'll let you leave first, Belle. But when I come back to get everyone, you and Lucas need to be there as well. If not, I don't know how we're going to make it back. _

_Give me a few minutes to set everything up. You can say goodbye to the brainless ball of fur."_

_"Hey, this brainless ball of fur managed to outwit an overly enraged Evil Queen, and don't you forget it," Ruby stated matter-of-factly._

_"C'mon. Let's leave her in peace." _

_When the both walked away, the owner of the Diner grabbed the Librarian in for a tight hug, her nose pressing up against the crook of her wife's neck._

_"We haven't been apart like this since you kicked me out when Lucas was five."_

_"And you deserved it. I'm glad you came back, though. I missed you. Ruby, don't worry about me. I know I'm not you, and he should probably have someone there who knows how to deal with the curse. But don't I know just as well? I might not be a wolf, but I do know just how you work, especially during wolf's time."_

_"Belle, just be safe. Gold is there and..He's just as dangerous then as he is now. And...if Lucas has become the wolf yet...Then he might not recognize you. I had no control over it until my mother was able to teach me."_

_They embraced once more, this time engaging in a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. _

_"I love you, Ruby French. I'll see you soon."_

_And with that, she let go of her wife's hand, walking into the room where Regina stood, ready to send her back._

_"Keep Charlotte safe too, Belle...I know she's with Emma...But...Make sure they're both all right."_

_"I will, Regina."_

_In a flash, she was gone._


End file.
